This month in - PC Users Group

Transcription

This month in
Features
10
Dreaming On – Future Machines
PCUG News & Services
7
14
@law – E-commerce
The legal aspects explained by Geoff Purvis-Smith
15
16
21
The Rosetta Page
Don Nicol philosophises
The Windows Registry
Registry files demystifed – Terry Bibo tells how
CGI Scripting
Start of a new series by Owen Cook
Membership Notes
Mike Burke with information for new members
Chess Krawczyk predicts the future
17
TIP News
Read the fine material says Allan Mikkelsen
36
Internet Project Application
Get connected with TIP
37
Member Services
Details of services available to members only
38
Special Interest Groups
Where the real action is
22
Security holes in MS Office 97 apps
Compiled by Peter Ortner
39 Training News
Low cost training for members
23
Multiple profile settings in Netscape
John Allen speaks with two voices
40 Vendor Discounts
Membership has its privileges
24
Bits and Bytes
42
Have a laugh with Andrew Clayton
25
Puzzle Corner
Exercise the old grey cells with Vic Bushell
26
33
Software Library News
Phil Trudinger reviews a selection of Software
Members’ Ads/PCUG Membership form
Check here first for bargains
43
Help Directory
Stuck? Call the experts
44
Calendar
What’s on next month
What Can You See?
Don Nicol asks: can you can believe what you see
34
What’s News
Malcolm Morrison keeps up with the lates
Profile
2
Editorial Information
How to contribute to Sixteen Bits
3
Contact Information
Advertiser & Product Information
How to contact us
4
Editorial
6
Context
20
Interact
22
L&S
32
Bettowynd
40
Vendor Discount Scheme
Anne Greiner
4
President’s Letter
Anne Greiner
SIXTEEN BITS March 1999 1
SIXTEEN BITS (ISSN 0817-0991)
is published monthly by the
PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
PO Box 42
Belconnen ACT 2616
Australia
We welcome submissions of articles from members
of the Group. If you are interested in writing please
contact the Managing Editor and ask for a copy of
our ‘SIXTEEN BITS - Guidelines for Authors’ (also
available on the Sixteen Bits Web site at
h t t p : / / w w w. p c u g . o r g . a u / p c u g / 1 6 b i t s /
16guide.htm).
Correspondence and material for review or
publication should be forwarded, preferably as a
plain text file with separate PCX/BMP graphic files,
by the deadline specified, to the Editor as follows:
•
•
•
Managing Editor
Anne Greiner
[email protected]
[email protected]
Online Editor
Tamsin Sowden
[email protected]
Editorial Team
Mike Burke, Tamsin Sowden,
Andrew Clayton, Malcolm Morrison,
Ann Byrne, Ivan Kramer, Vic Bushell,
Brian Thomason
Technical Editor
Michael Phillip
Anonymous contributions will not be published,
though name and address can be withheld from
publication on request. Disks are not returned
unless requested by the author.
Photographer
Brad Van Wely
Members of the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc receive
SIXTEEN BITS each month. Registered by Australia
Post, Print Post Publication No. PP226480/00009.
Disclaimer:
Although it is editorial policy to check all material in
SIXTEEN BITS for accuracy, usefulness and suitability,
no warranty either express or implied is offered for any
losses due to the use of the material in the journal. Unless
specifically stated otherwise, the experiences and
opinions expressed in any column or article are those of
the author and do not represent an official position of,
or endorsement by, the PC Users Group (ACT) Inc. The
PC Users Group (ACT) Inc is not liable for inaccuracy in
any advertisement and does not accept responsibility
for any claims made by advertisers. It is the buyer’s
responsibility to investigate the claims made by
advertisers. Any material considered misleading or
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uses such names only in an editorial fashion and to the
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2 SIXTEEN BITS March 1999
Articles and Member Ads
Friday 26 February 1999
Commercial Ads
Friday 05 March1999
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© Copyright 1999, by the PC Users Group (ACT)
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April1999 Issue
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[email protected]
Production
Petra Dwyer and the Stuffing Team
Contributors for this issue
Mike Burke, Anne Greiner,
Malcolm Morrison, Phil Trudinger,
Victor Bushell, Tamsin Sowden, Peter Elliott,
Ches Krawczyk, Don Nicol, Andrew Clayton,
Geoff Purvis-Smith, Terry Bibo, Owen Cook,
Peter Ortner, Allan Mikkelsen
Authors and Advertisers please note
Articles from SIXTEEN BITS are also published
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PCUG Committee
How To Make Contact
President Anne Greiner
6288 2810
[email protected]
Vice President Ann Byrne
6282 2536
[email protected]
Secretary Hugh Bambrick
& Public Officer [email protected]
Treasurer Rod Farr
6249 7667
6286 1597
[email protected]
General Committee Allan Mikkelsen
6278 3164
[email protected]
General Committee David Schwabe
6254 9086
*Postal address
PO Box 42
Belconnen ACT 2616
(For ALL correspondence)
J PC Users Group Centre
Northpoint Plaza, Belconnen
Open Mon, Wed and Fri 10am-2pm
Saturdays and Sundays 9am-5pm
(closed long weekends)
[email protected]
General Committee Russell Kerrison
6257 4063
[email protected]
General Committee Michael Lightfoot
6258 8185
[email protected]
General Committee Peter Elliott
6258 9806
[email protected]
General Committee Ted Macarthur
6286 3536
[email protected]
General Committee Anne Meade
6231 7881
[email protected]
General Committee Tamsin Sowden
6286 4340
[email protected]
General Committee Nhan Tran
6254 5293
[email protected]
General Committee David Voss
6258 2178
[email protected]
PCUG Committee email to: [email protected]
(PCUG Main Phone number
(02) 6253 4911
(Answering machine when Centre unattended)
2 Fax number
(02) 6253 4922
,Email
[email protected] (or use addresses at left)
,The INTERNET Project
(02) 6206 6200 [email protected]
World Wide Web page
Other Contacts
http://www.pcug.org.au/pcug/
Executive Secretary Petra Dwyer
[email protected]
: Bulletin Board Service (BBS)
Membership Mike Burke
Secretary [email protected]
Novell Network Michael Phillips
Administrator
6253 4966
NT NetworkDavid Schwabe
Administrator [email protected]
BBS Sysop
The PCUG Centre is the venue for PCUG training, some Special Interest
Group meetings and other activities. There is no charge for using the Centre
for PCUG activities. Contact Petra Dwyer at the PCUG Centre on
(02) 6253 4911for bookings.
6254 9086
Michael Phillips
(02) 6253 4933 (5 lines 33.6k bps)
Fidonet address 3:620/243
(BBS Sysop voice number
(02) 6253 4966
(6.00pm - 9.00pm)
6253 4966
[email protected]
Centre Manager
Wolf Lieske
6258 5250
Main Meeting
6258 2178
Main meetings are held 7.00pm for 7.30pm, usually on the last Monday of
every month at Manning Clark Theatre 1, Crisp Building Australian National
University.
[email protected]
Training Rm Mngr David Voss
[email protected]
The phone numbers listed above are home numbers unless otherwise
specified. Please restrict calls to between 7.30pm and 9.00pm.
New Members Information Night
7.30pm first Monday of the month PC Users Group Centre, Northpoint Plaza Belconnen.
Editors Desk Top
Anne Greiner, Managing Editor
S
peaking of things new, I had a couple
of nasty little run-ins recently, the first
with Windows 98. Not only was it a
nasty little run-in, it was also a very
embarrassing one. (No, I have not installed it
on my system yet, because the amount of
housekeeping I would have to do before I
could do a total backup is daunting to say the
least, and even I know that the lack of a
backup is only an option when one is happy to
do a complete ‘format C:\’ and not weep over
the consequences.). Anyway, back to my story.
I discovered that Windows 98 and Partition
Magic don’t always coexist peacefully, and that
an earlier version of Netscape Communicator
should be uninstalled upon upgrading to a later
version in some cases to make it run properly.
Now if I’d made these momentous discoveries
on my own machine, no-one but me would
have known, and I’d have been saved the acute
embarrassment that resulted from the
somewhat schizophrenic end result of a
colleague’s hard disk. The fact that the
colleague is also my boss may well result in
me being able to attend Coffee and Chat in
lieu of paid employment in the near future.
The second nasty little run-in occurred
when I attempted to install Internet Explorer
v4 from a CD that the National Bank had sent
me to set up an Internet banking module. The
banking software requires 128 bit encryption
security (I don’t really need it - I don’t have
enough money to make my transactions
attractive to cyber thieves) and apparently
Netscape Communicator 4.06 and IE4, neither
of which I had installed on my system, are the
earliest versions to have such encryption. I
downloaded Communicator 4 from the CD,
(discovering in the process the answer to one
of the problems with a colleague’s computer
mentioned earlier), and all was well. Never
having been one to let well enough alone, I
thought I would like to see how much Explorer
had changed in the several years since I had
last used it, and also downloaded IE4 from
the same CD. Bad mistake. When I tried to
run it, a subscription form for Access One
popped up, wanting my life history and my
credit card number, and I could not persuade
it to go away. I was really determined by now,
so I uninstalled the brute, deleted the shortcut,
and totally dispossessed it (or so I thought).
Presidents Letter
W
Downloaded IE4 from an APC Magazine
freebie disk, and when I tried to run it, lo and
behold, there was Access One importuning me
for my credit card number again! Upon a bit
of delicate and very cautious investigation, I
assessed that the wretched thing had installed
itself irretrievably into my Registry. Now both
the National Bank and Access One were silly
enough to have put 24 hour telephone numbers
on these CDs, so I rang ‘em up and told them
that there were a few aspects of this CD that I
wasn’t completely happy with. The NAB were
surprised but helpful, and promised to send
me a disk with a fix (which promptly arrived
36 hours later in a Priority Paid envelope), and
the fellow on the help desk at Access One told
me to just edit the Registry files and get rid of
it. In all fairness, he did tell me the name of the
files to delete, but even so, Registry files??.
Both the adrenaline levels and the confidence
levels had plummeted at that bit of advice, and
I rang a mate with rather more experience of
Registry files than I have, and he talked me
through the process, and I still have a system.
(Thanks David) I will probably set the next
edition on the Olivetti electric
typewriter - it’d be safer to
use...
:
Anne Greiner
ell, things havn’t been all that quiet
this month, despite the Christmas
break. As the many of you know,
the extra 10 lines that were promised have at
last been installed, and I for one really notice
the difference. For those of us that spend our
days as wage slaves, this improvement is
extremely welcome, and being able to log on
first try during the evening is a lovely bonus, so
a personal thankyou from me as well as a
presidential thankyou on behalf of us all to the
team who have implemented such a good job.
As Hugh Bambrick, our Secretary, so
elegantly puts it, this is the “year of the slightly
older person”. I am looking mortality
sufficiently closely in the eye to feel that as a
group we need to be aware of the special IT
needs of the slightly older person, and to make
a special effort to meet at least some of these
needs. In this light, members of the committee
have met with some representatives from an
organisation called ‘Senior Net’, to discuss
some co-operative ventures on which we and
they might be able to collaborate. It is all still in
the planning stages, but we will keep the
membership informed of whatever progress we
make. This is a good time to mention that there
have been a number of responses to the plea
put out for volunteers to help out with the
Seniors sessions at ACT Libraries. I’ve seen
these sessions underway at the Woden Library
when I’ve dashed in to change a book or two
at lunchtime, and from talking to several
participants, have heard that it is really
rewarding. It is something that anyone who can
log onto the net and use email can do - no
special skills required, and the reward quota is
high, so please consider.
Let us not forget in the meantime, that the
HIT Team is available (for a small fee) to go to
peoples’ homes and set up internet
connections, and that on the first Saturday of
every month, there is a free Internet Clinic at
the Centre in Belconnen. Whilst these services
are available to all members, a significant
number of the applicants fall into the age
bracket of “slightly older person”. The other
thing to remember about the Internet is that
the PCUG, wearing its ‘Users helping Users’
hat, runs training courses on Win95 (which is
also suitable for Win98 users) to get people
with no computing experience up to speed with
basic Windows usage, and then Internet training
to use email and attachments effectively and
to get started on surfing the web. These
courses are available not only to members, but
also to members of their households, and we
see a number of couples coming together. On
a totally different tack, the first meetings of the
new Games SIG occurred over the Christmas
continued on page 5 …
Main Meeting
John Biviano, Adobe
Monday 22 February
Web designers and enthusiasts who want to
create outstanding Web sites now have the
ultimate in Web tool solutions with the Adobe(r)
Internet Pack.
The Adobe Internet Pack includes Adobe
ImageReady(r) 1.0, ImageStyler(r) 1.0,
PageMill(r) 3.0 and PhotoDeluxe(r) 2.0, which
is $450 less than the total cost of the products
purchased separately.
“The Adobe Internet Pack is an Australian
and New Zealand initiative and is part of
Adobe’s ongoing commitment to making it
easier for customers to stand out on the Web,”
said Mark Pieper, General Manager, Australia
and New Zealand, Adobe Systems Pty Ltd.
“Almost anyone can design Web pages with
the Adobe Internet Pack, even if they don’t
have technical expertise.”
About Adobe ImageReady 1.0
Web designers can balance the tradeoffs
between file size and image quality with Adobe
ImageReady, a powerful and flexible imageprocessing tool that streamlines the Web design
and editing process. ImageReady saves Web
designers a significant amount of time because
it takes the guess work out of how a file will
look on the Web and how long the file will
take to download.
About ImageStyler 1.0
Designed to make creating and maintaining
Web graphics simpler for non-professional
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
As channel sales manager for Adobe
Pacific, John Biviano is responsible for
overseeing Adobe’s reseller, value added
reseller, original equipment manufacturer and
retail operations in Australia and New Zealand.
As head of Adobe’s channel sales team,
Biviano is focused on developing partner
relationships and managing Adobe’s product
distribution strategy. Biviano joined Adobe in
early 1998 as account manager responsible for
the Northern Region.
:
From the
Committee
T
Excerpts from the January Committee
continued from page 4…
holidays, and we hope to make more such
events available to our “slightly younger person”
members. These activities underline the point
that PCUG is not just an ISP, but is a group of
very varied types of people with disparate
skills, but who all have a common interest in
some or all aspects of computing. Over my
years in the group I have made some very good
friends as well as learning
a lot.
:
Anne Greiner
N.B.
designers, Adobe ImageStyler software gives
business users greater control over their sites
by enabling them to produce sophisticated and
creative graphics with ease.
About Adobe PageMill 3.0
Designed to provide an outstanding
presence on the Web, Adobe PageMill 3.0
integrates Web page authoring, site
management and a limited edition of the leading
Web graphics tool, Adobe Photoshop(r).
Adobe PageMill 3.0 maximises the return on
investment by minimising the time and resources
required to build Web sites.
About PhotoDeluxe 2.0
Adobe PhotoDeluxe 2.0 is an easy-to-use
photo-editing solution with an intuitive, usertested visual-guide interface. Delivering the
highest quality digital imaging, PhotoDeluxe 2.0
allows users to retouch photos, add special
effects and create original photo images.
For further information, please call
Adobe Systems on 1800 065 628 or visit
www.pacific.adobe.com.
john biviano
Guest Speaker:
Date:
The lucky winners of the two sets of
Windows 98 and Windows 98 Plus, door
prizes kindly donated by Microsoft, were
Bob Meyer and John Thompson.
Congratulations!
he Committee met in January, after the
Christmas hiatus it was a fairly brief
meeting with the following items being
discussed. The Treasurer and President will be
meeting with the Auditors to discuss
improvements to the accounting system.
The Executive is meeting with AUUG
Executive to discuss their future involvement
in TIP.
Hugh Bambrick advised that the new
signatories to the Group’s cheque account has
been lodged with the bank.
The Secretary of Senior Net has
approached the PCUG to assist with a pilot
training programme. Interested members of the
Committee are invited to a meeting with them
on the 4th February.
Michael Lightfoot informed the Committee
that the new pricing structure from Access One
has now been in place for over a month and is
making an impact on funds held, but no serious
concerns are held at this time.
A motion for a new policy on out-of-pocket
expenses was moved, the new rate for travel
expenses on Group business is now 25cents
km. The motion was passed by the Committee.
David Schawbe advised that the scanner
and CD burner were now located on separate
machines. This would make access to both
pieces of equipment easier.
John Plumidis was given approval to run a
Youth SIG and permission was given for the
group to use the training room provided it did
not clash with other useage.
Note that these exerpts are always from
the previous month - these minutes they are
taken from have been confirmed by the
committee.
:
What is this thing called PDF?
…by Mark Pieper
General Manager
Adobe Systems Pty Ltd
E
very day more than 65,000 computer
users around the world, download their
first copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader
and discover why Adobe Acrobat has become
the de facto industry standard for organisations
concerned about not only document security
but also the bottom line.
With more than 30 million users worldwide,
Portable Document Format (PDF) is a crossplatform, fully searchable, open file format
which retains the fidelity of original documents.
It provides companies of all sizes with an
optimum solution for delivering critical business
information around the world.
As the number of people using Acrobat
Reader continues to grow, leading corporations
are discovering new ways to reach a widely
dispersed base of customers and employees.
Additional cost savings can be enjoyed
because PDF automatically optimises file size
thereby significantly reducing network load
when transmitting documents.
For those companies distributing corporate
materials online, considerable savings in time
and money normally incurred by printing,
copying, faxing and shipping hard-copy
documents can also be achieved.
PDF is the best way to keep the look and
feel you created intact. PDF files are compact,
cross platform and can be viewed by anyone
with a free Acrobat Reader. And you can
create PDF files from any
application using Adobe Acrobat
3.0 - even directly from paper.
When a document is saved
in PDF and distributed
electronically, you can rest
easy knowing what you
created and viewed on your
computer will look exactly
the same to the recipient whether you’ve e-mailed
it to Japan, posted it on
the corporate intranet or Web site or
saved it on CD-ROM. It can be viewed or
printed anywhere exactly as intended.
PDF keeps fonts, formatting, colours and
images intact regardless of which platform or
software application recipients use. This means
the brand image and corporate identity will have
the same look and feel online as they do in
Practical small system development
hard-copy format, regardless of what kind of
computer or printer is used.
There’s no end to the types of documents
that can be distributed using PDF - annual
reports, product brochures, presentations, sales
contracts, marketing proposals, advertising
graphics, direct mail, event invitations,
competitive literature, market
research data and so much
more. It is also possible to
add annotations, automatic
Web links or security options
to these documents if required.
There is also no need for
anyone to read through numerous
pages of a document looking for
a specific section because PDF files
are searchable and support pageat-a-time viewing. Recipients can find
and print what they need on demand.
More and more businesses around the
world are comfortable in the knowledge they
can rely on the strength of Adobe no matter
how fast their business grows and with Adobe
Acrobat in place, they can continue to provide
the same high standard of service.
:
Context
Training & Consulting Pty Ltd
ACN 008 643 703 - Established 1988
üMicrosoft Access development
üUp-sizing to SQL Server
üSupport for existing systems
E-mail
Phone
Fax
[email protected]
02 6287 1500
02 6287 1508
Free telephone support
to PCUG members.*
* Offer does not apply where commercially inappropriate
…by Mike Burke
Membership Secretary
Annual General Meeting
W
elcome to new members reading
Sixteen Bits for the first time,
welcome to the PC Users Group.
Continuing members should also check this
column regularly because I am sure that there
will be some little surprises from time to time,
even for the most jaded of old hands.
If your PCUG
membership expires at
the end of March 1999
RENEW NOW
to avoid losing access to
The Internet Project.
Your Membership Card
Your membership card and, for new members,
a New Member’s Information Disk, will
normally be mailed to you on the third Monday
of the month in which you join or renew your
membership. Those who join or renew after
the third Monday will receive their card/disk
the following month. If you lose your card,
please leave a message with the Executive
Secretary on 6253 4911, or contact me
directly
via
TIP
at
[email protected] and it will
be replaced without charge..
Information Disk
New members should also receive a disk
containing information about the Group and its
services. Please read the inform-ation on the
disk carefully as you will find the answers to
most of your questions there.
New Members
Information Night
New members are especially urged to attend
a New Members’ Information Night which is
normally held at 7.30pm on the first Monday
of the month (except Jan-uary) at the PC Users
Group Centre (see map page 3). These
meetings are a chance for new and ‘older’
members (who are always welcome to attend)
to meet with representatives of the Committee,
to put names to faces, and to ask any questions
that you may have about the Group and its
activities. Tea and coffee are available, and the
atmosphere is informal and friendly.
Main Meetings
Our main meetings, targeted at our general
membership, are normally held monthly, on the
last Monday of the month. The date, venue
and topic of the meeting always appear on the
front cover of Sixteen Bits which is timed to
arrive in your mail-box in the middle of the
week before the next main meeting. Main
meetings are also advertised in the computing
section of the Canberra Times on the day of
the meeting. Anyone is welcome to attend these
meetings—you do not need to be a member.
For main meetings, we arrange guest speakers
on a variety of topics throughout the year. As
an added incentive, there are usually a couple
of door prizes to be won. You’ve got to be in
it to win it. There is no main meeting in
December.
The Annual General Meeting is held in
September each year. Even if you are unable
to attend Main Meetings regularly, members
should make every effort to attend this Meeting
at which office bearers for the ensuing 12
months are elected.
Other Good Stuff
For those who haven’t yet learnt through bitter
personal experience, please remem-ber that
TIP access is dependent on your continuing
PCUG membership, and that it takes time to
process your membership renewal - currently
up to two weeks. We are looking at ways to
reduce this time, but the best solution is for
you to remember to renew early. Members,
particularly TIP users, whose PCUG
membership expires at the end of the month
stated in the above box should renew their
PCUG membership immediate-ly. Do not
delay because your TIP access will
automatically be cut off at midnight on the last
day of the month unless your renewal has been
processed.
Don’t forget! RENEW TODAY, if not
yesterday, if this copy of Sixteen Bits arrived
with a pink label.
As a further service, one month before your
membership is due to expire, I will send a
reminder letter with a renewal form on the
reverse. This letter, printed on paper of a
very noticeablecolour, should arrive a day or
so before Sixteen Bits.
Special Events
We also have some special events such as the
‘Bring and Buy Night’ at the Albert Hall in
November, and an annual Quiz Night in April.
You should read Sixteen Bits thoroughly as
special events are publicised mainly through
the magazine.
Next New Members’ Night
1 March 1999
7.30pm
PCUG Centre
Northpoint Plaza, Belconnen
W
hat does the Canberra PC
Users’ Group offer its
Members?
STRENGTH
With more than 3,000 members , Canberra
PCUG is one of Australia’s larger PC User
groups. It was founded in 1982, and is still run
for the members, by the members. The motto
of the group is Users Helping Users.
The Group employs one part-time
Executive Secretary. Most functions of the club
magazine writing and editing, online services
maintenance, collection and distribution of
shareware, Organisation of SIG and monthly
meetings etc, are performed by volunteers. The
Group has a membership from all walks of life,
with a broad range of knowledge, as well as
access to a vast store of information and help
in many fields.
SIXTEEN BITS MAGAZINE
The group’s magazine Sixteen Bits is published
eleven times a year. It is the award winning
primary communications mechanism within the
group. The magazine contains articles primarily
contributed by PCUG members, reviews,
notices of upcoming events, contact details for
the various functions within the group, a handy
calendar, the new software library acquisitions,
the HELP directory, vendor discount scheme,
etc. The magazine is created with the aid of
Adobe Pagemaker, and Microsoft Office, and
other software products, at the PCUG’s
Northpoint Plaza office. Members who wish
to contribute articles to the magazine, or
participate in the editorial team magazine layout
day held each month, should contact the editor
([email protected]). Contributions
are welcome! The magazine has details on
the preferred format of contributions.
Contributions can be on virtually any topic you
care to cover, from software reviews, to
hardware disaster stories, or how you used
your computer in a strange an unusual way.
THE INTERNET PROJECT
A collaborative effort between the Australian
Unix Users Group (AUUG) and the PCUG,
The Internet Project (TIP) offers membership
access to the Internet, via 60 (soon to be 72)
dial in lines. Two forms of access are provided
– Limited Access, which allows people to
access email and news via PINE, via a basic
unix shell. Full Access provides for Point to
Point (PPP) connections effectively putting your
computer onto the internet, providing full
access to email, news, world wide web, IRC,
telnet, ftp, online-quake-playing, anything a
regular Internet Service Provider offers. Full
Access accounts provide 10Mbytes of disk
space per account, which can be used for the
storage of personal web pages, accessible via
the internet 24 hours a day. TIP started for
business in 1995, offering amazingly cheap
access to the internet. Even with various policy
changes by the group’s uplink provider, TIP
still manages to offer the cheapest internet
access in Canberra. TIP policies are
determined by the Internet Project
Management Committee. The day to day
administration of TIP is by volunteers, mostly
from the AUUG. TIP has about 2,000
members, making it one of the largest
subscriber ISP’s in the region.
BULLETIN BOARD SERVICE
PCUG has been offering access to a Bulletin
Board Service of some description, since late
1986. The current BBS offers five-line access
to Fidonet echomail areas, private Fidonet
email, a local file download area, access to
the PCUG’s CDROM library of shareware,
and ability to renew PCUG membership and
perform other ‘online shopping’ functions.
Since the widespread use of the internet, the
BBS has become somewhat less exciting that
it once might have been, but it still serves a
purpose, and access to it is free for PCUG
members.
MONTHLY MEETINGS
Each month (Except January) the group holds
its Monthly meeting, normally at the Manning
Clarke Theatre, (1, Crisp Building, Australian
National University) usually on the last Monday
of the month, at 7:30pm. Each meeting has a
guest speaker, usually giving a demonstration/
talk about some software or hardware
product, or upcoming technology. Speakers
from a wide range of businesses are invited to
give their product or service a public hearing.
Prior to the main meeting you can renew group
or TIP membership, purchase blank floppy
diskettes, or attend the BYTES SIG at the
Asian Bistro in the ANU Union building.
Attendees are eligible for a lucky door prize –
sometimes these are valuable, once someone
was given Unix software valued at many
thousands of dollars. The Annual General
Meeting is where the outgoing PCUG
committee report on the year’s achievements
and what the status of the Treasury is, and this
meeting is where the new PCUG committee is
elected.
PCUG CENTRE
Located in a modern air-conditioned office,
at Northpoint Plaza, Belconnen, the PCUG
centre is the site of the main administration
office. It holds the BBS and TIP
communications centre, an 8-machine training
room with light-projector, and various training
aids. There are a number of machines available
for use at the centre, including a colour scanner,
a CD copier, a photocopier, and access to the
internet. The centre hosts the PCUG
committee meetings, the monthly Internet Clinic
day, and is where the PCUG magazine, Sixteen
Bits, is created. The PCUG centre is staffed
on weekends (9am-5pm EXCEPT long
weekends such as Easter or Anzac day), and
during the week (10am-2pm, Monday,
Wednesday, Friday); during these times
members can renew their membership,
purchase blank media, or arrange access to
TIP. Various training courses are on offer ($35
for full day courses) on certain weekends, such
as Word7, Excel 7, Designing a WEB page,
or Introduction to the Internet. See the regular
Training News section in Sixteen Bits, or check
the Calendar on the last page. Places are
limited, so be sure to book a place in advance.
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
The PCUG comprises a large number of people
with a wide range of interests. Smaller groups
of people, interested in specific areas of
personal computing, get together to form
Special Interest Groups, which have their own
meetings, and projects. Some SIGS currently
in operation are, “Coffee and Chat”, “C/C++”,
“The Investment SIG”, “The OS/2 SIG”, the
“Linux Users Group”, “Flight Simulator SIG”,
“Internet Daytime Demo and Discussion Sig”.
Contact details are published in Sixteen Bits.
Anyone can start a SIG – just ask in one of
SHAREWARE SOFTWARE LIBRARY
Each month the group gets a new CDROM of
the latest shareware. The magazine publishes
excerpts from the current CDROM. Titles are
available for download from the BBS (which
is also accessible from the internet via ftp://
bbs.pcug.org.au), and whilst this is a free
service to members, the programs themselves
are usually shareware, and require payment
directly to the author, if you intend to use the
program in question on a regular basis.
HARDWARE AND VIDEO LIBRARY
Various hardware is available for loan.
Currently the group has 33.6K and 14.4K
modems, and ZIP drives available to
members, as well as some videos including
‘Developing Applications with Microsoft
Office’ and ‘Using Windows 95’. Items may
be borrowed for one week at a time, there is
no charge, but you must collect and return the
:
items yourself.
Adelaide PC Users Group
PO Box 2231
Port Adelaide SA 5015
(08) 8331 0766
Meet: 7.45pm, 3rd Wednesday of the month
at Enterprise House, 136 Greenhill Road,
Unley. Visitors $5.
Brisbane PC Users Group (Brisbug)
PO Box 985
Toowong QLD 4066
(07) 3299 3943
Info Line
(07) 3209 4980 (fax)
Pam Kirk (Pres)
Home page http://www.brisbug.asn.au
Meet: Kelvin Grove High School, Kelvin
Grove, Brisbane. 9am-5pm approx, 3rd
Sunday of the month.
Darwin Computer
Users Club
Gary Drake (Vice President)
(08) 8932 4107 h
(08) 8945 0091 w
Email [email protected]
Melbourne PC User Group
2nd Floor, 66 Albert Road
South Melbourne VIC 3205
(03) 9699 6222
10am - 3.30pm
(03) 9699 6499
Fax
Home Page http://www.melbpc.org.au
Meet: 6pm, 1st Wednesday of the month
(except Jan) at Pharmacy College, 381 Royal
Parade, Parkville.
Perth PC Users Group
PO Box 997
West Perth WA 6872
(08) 9399 7264
Terry Vernon (Pres)
Meet 6.00pm, 1st Wednesday of the month
at Ross Lecture Theatre, Physics Building,
University of WA, Nedlands.
Sydney PC Users Group
PO Box A2162
Sydney South NSW 2000
(02) 9972 2133
Meet 6pm, 1st Tuesday of the month at
main auditorium, Teachers Federation, 300
Sussex Street, Sydney.
http://www.pcug.org.au/pcug/16bits/
MEDIA SALES
The group offers high quality disks and tape
cartridges for sale to its members at very
reasonable prices. Contact the PCUG centre
during its business hours (10am-2pm Monday,
Wednesday, Friday, 9am-5pm on Weekends)
for details.
Oz User Groups
Now in Adobe Acrobat format!
the TIP specific newsgroups (tip.general) if
anyone is interested in a formal get-together,
and arrange things such as demonstrations,
discussions, or picnics!
DREAMING ON the FUTURE
MACHINE
All users complain of, firstly, the need
to continually upgrade and are lured
by new features, secondly, by the accelerating
rate of change, and lastly, by the certainty that
what they are using today will be functional,
but obsolete, unsupported and worthless in six
months time. This article provides a checklist
for buying an up to date computer, which can
be expanded and upgraded in the near future.
The decision table starts with CPU chip;
obviously the fastest is desirable but this is
dependent on the CPU socket on the
motherboard. Note 1. You need WINDOWS
NT or WIN 2000 to use more than 1 CPU on
motherboard.
Note 2. Which generation is your
machine? Note that personal computer users
have avoided the parity RAM and ECC (Error
Correcting Code) RAM that has been available
because of price. Even SDRAM is too slow
for CPUs being developed. COMPAQ,
SOCKET
SPEED
INTEL
and
Microsoft are all
supporting
FireWire as a
strategic interface.
The serial interfaces
will divide the spoils
as follows: USB
gets the mundane
things
mice,
keyboards,
modems, and so
on. FireWire gets
the fun stuff (e.g.,
digital videodisc
cameras players,
and the like). Byte
magazine, March 1997 Infra Red, IrDA-IR,
will continue to be supported because of
Personal Digital Assistants.
CPU
FEATURE
mHz
SLOT
3
1 Ghz +
INTEL IA-64
MERCED
64 bit x16 CPU NUMA
SECC
?
SLOT
SECC?
700 - 1200
2
750
Slot
1
SECC?
SLOT 2 SECC
SLOT 1 SECC
SLOT 1 SECC
SLOT 1 Single
Edge Contact
Cartridge
Slot A EV6 (Alpha)
Super 7 Socket 370
Socket 7
600
Socket 8
Socket 6-
“Willamette”
Last 32 bit
“Cascades”
“Coppermine”
1999
400 – 450+
500
350-450 (BX,GX)
233-333
(FX,LX,EX),)
INTEL XEON Pentium II
Pentium III
Pentium II
INTEL CELERON,
Pentium II, CYRIX
32 bit x8 CPUs 1998
“Katmai”
“Deschutes”
x2 parallel CPU
“Klamath”
500+
366 - 400
90 - 400?
Unique motherboard
233 - 266
AMD K7
INTEL Celeron
Pentium, AMD, CYRIX
IBM
INTEL Pentium Pro
11 - 100
8088,286,386,486
Allows up to x4 CPU
replaced by Xeon
Note 1. You need WINDOWS NT or WIN 2000 to use more than 1 CPU on motherboard.
…by Chess Krawczyk
[email protected]
www.pcug.org.au/~ckrawczy
DEVICES
Floppy Disks will disappear from PCs as their
capacity is now inadequate, to be replaced by
the LS-120 Superdisk which can still read
legacy floppies. This device is removable, 120
MB, supported by BIOS and BOOTABLE.
Unlike the ZIP drive which requires 20 MB of
drivers and software to run.
JAZ, SPARQ drives of 1 GB, 2 GB will
still be useful for portability and transfers.
Hard Disks are bottleneck for
performance; price is now $50 per GB EIDE,
$100 per GB SCSI and falling. The price
difference between EIDE and SCSI is artificial
and once it narrows there will be a migration
to SCSI then to SCSI RAID. It is always
better to get two smaller drives rather than one
large drive. With 3 drives it becomes possible
to mirror, stripe and use Random Array of
Inexpensive Drives to guarantee reliability and
also increase speed.
DVD is now replacing CD-ROM, CD
ROM Recordable and CD Read/Write. With
8 Gigabytes per side and double sided
recording this medium is keeping pace with
hard disk capacity and also the software and
data - why bother to have 3 CDs for an
Motherboard Chipsets
????
IA-64 Merced 64 bit
INTEL 440GX, 82450NX
XEON, 8 way CPU
100 mHz bus
INTEL 440BX
233 333 mHz 66 mHz bus
INTEL 440EX, EZ
AGP and USB support
INTEL 440LX
Pentium Pro
INTEL 440FX
INTEL 440 TX, HX etc
Non INTEL
Note 2. Which generation is your machine?
SLOTS
PCI 64 bit
PCI 32 bit
AGP Video Slot
RAIDport (PCI ext.)
ISA 16 bit
Memory
???
168 pin PC100
168 pin SDRAM DIMM
72 pin SDRAM
72 pin EDO
30 pin
1999 - 2000
Now available
PENTIUM II and CELERON
ATX motherboard
AT motherboard
Buyer beware.
COMPAQ (previously DIGITAL) had 64 bit PCI cards for several
years now
The faster motherboards are generally too fast for legacy PCI
cards!
Becoming standard, though performance has not been apparent
For SCSI RAID (Random Array of Inexpensive Disks)
Obsolete, SoundBlaster was last to change
32, 64, 128 MB DIMM
Necessary for BX, GX
Current standard
Obsolete
Obsolete
Antique, museum
Encyclopaedia, 4 CDs for a game when it all
fits on 1 DVD? Movies on DVD will replace
VHS tapes and players, and the Digital camera
and Camcorder will record direct to DVD
RAM by June 1999. Read/write DVD RAM
is now available and will drop in price rapidly
to become the backup medium of choice for
small systems.
TAPE will always remain the bulk backup
medium with Travan formats inexpensive, DAT
and DLT having the capacity to back up
GIGABYTES, TERABYTES and even
PETABYTES!
CARD READER - PCMCIA. With
Notebooks, Pads, camera etc there will be a
growth of need to read PCMCIA cards. A
reader is now available that reads Type II cards
AND standard floppies.
VIDEO CARDS currently are racing in
development with the unfulfilled promise of
AGP but with 3D accelerators, MPEG2
decoders 16 MB+ VRAM, TV Tuner and
capture becoming common.
MONITORS LCD flat screens in 1999
with the 15-inch models already below $2000
and giving a viewing space equal to a 17 inch
CRT. Already they are offered with USB
connectors and even a built in USB hub. One
4-strand wire connects monitor to computer;
then the mouse, keyboard and video camera
plug into the monitor. No tangle on the desktop,
or behind the computer.
MODEMS disappear to be replaced by
the Optical Cable Network Card with digital
throughput and no MODulation/
DEModulation with speed starting at 30
Megabits per second (10 Mbit/sec at Transact
now in Aranda) and going beyond 600 Mbit
per second. INTERNET becomes
indistinguishable from Intranets. ATM
(Asynchronous Transfer Method) has been
operating for several years now and allows
multiple CPUs in Canberra to link to other
CPUs in Adelaide and throughout the country
CONNECTIONS<div align="center">
IDE
SCSI
USB
Megabits/sec
Cable Length
Wires
Max. Devices
ID
Terminator
Hot Plug
Broadcast
Multicasting
Snooping
Symbol
Transmission
Replacement
Cost
(1)
10 –30 5 - 80 1.5 = 12
3M
5M
30
50 - 80
4
2
8-16+
126
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Data
Async Async
Keyboard,
Mouse
IDE
Serial Port
Parallel Port
Video
Cheap Middle
Low
to form a distributed high performance
computer with virtual parallel architecture.
CPUs will go to 64 bit, with 64-bit bus
and 64-bit operating system. Remember how
recently you migrated from 16 bit to 32-bit
operating system and software? WINDOWS
2000 will have 64 bit extensions in 2000. The
trend with the Pentium Pro, XEON and IA64 will be to put more CPUs on the
motherboard thus allowing more processing
power by adding CPUs rather than getting
replacement higher speed single processors.
COMPUTER CASES and POWER
SUPPLIES already the ATX form factor has
caught on since it has smart power saving
options, but an ATX motherboard requires a
special case. The heat and number of internal
devices makes a mini tower too small and 230
watt power supply not enough. I recommend
a 300 watt power supply (with optional builtin UPS uninteruptible power supply - battery)
since it is possible to tap into this to power
external devices as well. My speakers and a
few other devices do not need power pack
transformers on a Kambrook, but come out
of the computer. I am also looking to get
away from the desktop case and go to 19inch racks - one enclosure for the
motherboard, separate enclosure for storage
devices.
VIDEO CAMERAS and MICROPHONES become standard on all computers
sold.
THE FUTURE
So what will the machine be used for? Office?
Games? Many people say, “I am not using
the full potential of my computer today so I
FireWire
IEEE1394
80 - 160
100 – 200 - 400 12.5 – 25 - 50
25M each 30M/10KM
4.5M each
4
4
4/6
48
126
1023*63
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Data
Data
Data/Strobe Link
Async
Async
Async/isosync
SSA
FC-AL
SCSI/USB SCSI/USB
High
High
SCSI/USB
Middle
FireWire/IEEE1394 Is the Future
don’t need to upgrade”. The emphasis is not
on the computer but the lack of familiarity of
the user. The PCUG and similar community
organisations need to train people to make
better use of what is available. The potential
is there, but under utilised.
Colleen McCullough on Norfolk Island still
uses a manual typewriter and probably has
problems reinking her ribbon! How her
creative output might improve if she used a
word processor! A senior who does not use
the Internet is missing a lot of communication
with family and old friends even if they were
just to use the WWW as a cheap international
telephone replacement.
We take a long time to get familiar with a
very few features of our machine, but it is only
through meetings like Coffee and Chat that we
begin to expand our intellectual potential and
see a little of the marvels that are possible. I
have abandoned tolerance of those persons
who in their ignorance pronounce that they
don’t know and don’t want to know; in favour
of helping those who still have a glimmer of
interest.
Once the user learns to ignore technology
per se and focus on the function, then the gap
between need, desire and actual performance
of technology shows the need for upgrade.
Voice recognition requires a Pentium II MMX
266+ mHz, full screen video requires better
than 12X CD-ROM and DVD capacity. Video
cards require more memory and hardware
MPEG decoders. Serial and parallel interfaces
are too limiting for the range and number of
SENSE
Hearing
Speech
devices. My single parallel port has a printer,
scanner and ZIP drive attached. IDE was great
when you had one disk and the CD ROM was
connected to the sound card, but where are
you going to connect 2 hard drives, DVD,
Tape, LS-120 without going to SCSI. With a
serial mouse and modem you needed more
ports to connect your palm top and other
devices. The back of my sound card looks
like a sound studio with double adaptors on
the LINE IN for the video card and voice
modem, double adaptor on LINE OUT for
speakers and earphones; the back of the video
card with its video, TV, sound in/out resembles
an antique telephone switchboard with an
octopus of wires. My 240-volt power cable
terminates in a powerboard under neath which
lie more than 5 transformers, while other power
cables are piggybacked. This needs
technological revision to make it more efficient,
easier to use, less complex to maintain.
Redesign is necessary to consolidate the
incremental, ad-on growth that is out of
control. I want to do things and expect the
machine to be a facilitator not a bottleneck. I
have the unreal expectation that Windows
should work! That hardware, drivers and
software does what they advertise. That the
reseller who handles the product knows more
than I do about installation and troubleshooting.
That the law protects me when I buy in good
faith. Pragmatically, from painful experience, I
know that these beliefs are unreal.
The Y2K machine will hear, speak, see,
read, process, remember, manipulate 3
HARDWARE
Microphone, sound card, stereo
amp speakers
Language
Speakers, sound card, voice
modem
Nil
Sight (1)
Sight (2)
Scanners
Cameras, camcorders
Touch
Mouse, Joystick, Pen, pedals,
steering wheel, force feedback,
Analog-Digital sensors, D-A
controllers
Motherboard Sensors
Calendar, Clock
Robotics
Heat
Time
Spatial Positioning
dimensional images, output to screen or colour
photo printer, display, record and edit video
and communicate with the rest of the world
through the successor of the Internet by data,
voice and video. As a philosopher of mind,
logic and language I have come to realise the
severe limitations of the written and printed
word in favour of visual communication, ideas
processing. So I now I try not to buy printed
books or video tapes unless they are available
in machine readable formats and as a project
for the year am scanning in my filing cabinets
onto the machine where AltaVista Discovery
(a free program) can index and retrieve them
for me. Printed encyclopaedias were always
useful, but not as useful as they are now on
DVD in multi media format. No amount of
words can describe an object or event as well
as a high resolution colour picture, video clip
or three dimensional, X Ray rotatable plan
view. Now that we are starting to interact with
cyberspace, virtual realities we can better
appreciate REALITY.
CONCLUSION
When you upgrade from a 486 to a
Pentium II the only useful item was the floppy
disk drive! Not even the power supply and
case could be reused. Hard Disk, CD-ROM,
video card, memory needed to be replaced
for performance reasons. When you upgrade
from your 450 mHz Pentium II in 1999, you
may be able to reuse SCSI hard disks and
devices, AGP video cards, DVD drive, and
any USB devices you may already have. You
will take all EIDE, serial, parallel, PS/2 devices
to Trash and Treasure and hope someone will
pay cents rather than dollars for them.
SOFTWARE
THE END
Microsoft speech in WIN 2000,
Or just the beginning?
Viavoice, Dragon, dictation,
command
Text to speech, telephony
Translation, teaching second
language
OCR, pattern recognition
Digital imaging, still, motion,
video conferencing
INTEL APM
Schedulers
Fischerteknik
:
Ten Years ago in Sixteen Bits
Compiled by Andrew Clayton from:
Volume 6, Number2, March 1989
T
he main meeting was on QNX, a multitasking operating
system. [Ed: QNX is still around today, and it has been
reported that QNX will be used as the basis for the next
Amiga operating system]
Tony Solazzo (1989 PCUG Secretary) explained in the committee
notes, how the job of Secretary was quite involved. The new
membership cards were introduced, and are still the same format
today. A small article discussing OS/2 suggested that the standard
AT with a 20MB hard disk and 1MB of memory wouldn’t be
sufficient; the recommended machine was a 386 with 4MB of
memory and a 40MB hard disk. OS/2 was described as “a complex,
highly sophisticated operating system more reminiscent of traditional
minicomputer operating systems.” As we all know, Microsoft’s OS/
2 code was reworked into the basis for Windows NT, and no true
Unix-head considers Windows NT to be ‘a highly sophisticated
operating system’, so you can just imagine how poor the first OS/2
version was!
Malcolm Street spoke in Street Talk about a plethora of items
- The PE 30 Panel Contract. A few ‘legends’ on why Bill Gates
got rich, because Garry Kindall, Digital Research, forgot his IBM
appointment and went flying in his private plane that day (IBM
then went to Microsoft, to choose the operating system for the
IBM PC, the rest is history). The start of the Intel Chip crippling
(386 “SX” chips) came to the fore. RISC chips were the bright
new future. Peter Harris wrote about choosing a video card. VGA
800 * 600 was just available. No PC could do 1024 * 768 or any
of the higher resolutions we take for granted a decade later. Malcolm
Lightfoot scratched at the surface of Unix, discussing the logon
process, user identifiers, group identifiers, and a glossary of unix
commands and terminology. Other articles included Zortech C++
compiler (Kevin Cox), Clarion Database (Bob Norman), Easy
DOS It menu system (John Hilvert), Floppy Drives (Geoff CadoganCowper) and notes on QNX and C (Karl Auer).
:
e-commerce
boom or bust
O
n 28 January 1999, the
Commonwealth Attorney-General,
Daryl Williams, issued a press release
heralding the launch of the Electronic
Transactions Bill 1999. He stated that the Bill
would form the backbone of Australia’s Ecommerce regime, with the ultimate goal of
allowing electronic commerce to flourish and
operate on the same basis as traditional paper
based transactions.
As technology continually changes, so does
the definition of electronic commerce (or Ecommerce). It includes everything from the
purchase of books or CD’s from online
retailers, to banking services and supply
contracts worth millions of dollars. Some have
even suggested that, as a fax machine sends
data in electronic format, that it falls within the
realm of E-commerce. For the purposes of
this article however, we will define Ecommerce as the “process of exchanging
information of value by the use of a computer”.
In its current format, the AttorneyGeneral’s Bill would enable electronic
communications and transactions to have the
same legal standard as their paper-based
cousins. It will achieve this by:
•
allowing electronic documents to
replace actual “written” documents (for
example, “To terminate this lease, the tenant
must provide 1 months written notice”)
•
recognising the validity of electronic
signatures (although the law relating to fraud
and misuse of signatures will still apply businesses, particularly banks, will have to be
vigilant to ensure the signature is valid);
•
allowing the production, recording or
storage of information in electronic format (for
example, the retention of receipts for tax
deduction purposes - so long as the information
contained in the original document has not been
compromised, a scanned and stored copy
would be acceptable); and
•
applying default rules to ensure that
there is no dispute between the parties to the
transaction as to when the transaction was
completed or where the contract was made
(for example, if an acceptance of a contract
has to be received by 12.00 midnight on 31
March 1999 by ABC Corp, what happens if
it is sent at 11.00pm, but not received, due to
an ISP breakdown until 12.30am? Or, what
happens if the acceptance of the contract is
sent from Queensland to another Queensland
company, but the authorised officer of the
company checks his e-mail from Sydney does the law of Queensland or New South
Wales apply to the contract?)
Until now, the law has struggled to deal
with issues such as these. The Bill attempts to
redress some of these problems. Its stated
aim is to create a light handed legal regime
…by Geoff Purvis-Smith
which actually encourages the development of
the information economy and the use of Ecommerce in Australia.
As it currently stands, the Bill will only
affect nominated Commonwealth laws prior to
1 July 2001. After that date, it will apply to all
laws of the Commonwealth, unless they have
been expressly excluded. It is also expected
that the States and Territories will enact mirrorimage legislation to ensure a national, uniform
scheme.
The public has been invited to comment
on the draft Bill up until 26 February 1999 (so
unless you are reading this early, the chances
are, you’ve already missed the cut-off date).
The Bill can be seen at www.law.gov.au/
ecommerce.
While the Bill provides the regime for
electronic commerce to flourish, it does not
attempt to provide protection for electronic
transactions. Therefore, the question still
remains as to how secure E-commerce will
be? The answer to that depends on how
gullible consumers are, and how far security
measures can stay ahead of the criminals.
At the moment, scepticism and security are
winning the day. I am yet to hear of a single
case of actual fraud involving the misuse of
intercepted credit card information. Ecommerce merchants have been vigilant and
responsible, and consumers wary about
sending credit card information to non-secure
servers that do not encrypt information. This,
coupled with the willingness of the various
States and Territories to enact computer
specific legislation (including an ACT law that
allows for up to 10 years imprisonment for
misuse of a computer to gain a benefit) has
brought security to what could have been a
Wild West electronic frontier.
Unauthorised intrusions into financial
institutions have been thankfully few, and the
results less than spectacular in any event.
The main difficulty with E-commerce for
the private consumer is the inevitable rip-off.
If the merchant is in Australia, then it is no
different from mail order businesses - you can
usually track them down and enlist the help of
continued on page 15…
…by Don Nicol
U
sers should not be able to make
mistakes’, said David. ‘If a user can
crash the system then the fault is with
the programmer!’
David taught programming and, for me, this
was his most profound dictum. How could you
more succinctly describe the essence of what
it means to be prof-essional? Who, indeed, is
in a position to better understand the program
than the programmer? Who knows the score
better than the composer? Who is more
intimate with design than the architect? Putting
it another way, why should we always expect
the user to accept the blame for everything that
goes wrong?
In our search for the greatest good — ‘the
pursuit of happiness for all’ — we often turn
to religion or to law for behavioural guidelines.
Religion tells us to ‘do unto others as we would
be done by’; the law talks of us as having a
‘duty of care’.
For me, these phrases have a problem.
They are essentially egocentric in that they
suggest no regard for the position of the
‘others’ (there is a good possibility that others
may not enjoy the experiences that give us
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
continued from page14…
your local consumer affairs organisation.
Overseas purchases are a different matter - it
is of course difficult to track down someone
overseas, and even harder to successfully sue
them. The only protection you may have is
from your credit card provider - some cards
carry with them insurance, while others will
cancel the transaction on your behalf if you do
not receive the product - check with your bank
or credit provider.
:
Geoff Purvis-Smith is a Canberra-based
IT lawyer, specialising in litigation and
dispute resolution. He can be contacted
on his direct line of (02) 6274 0803.
pleasure). With too dogmatic an adherence to
such commands the disciple can too readily
come to blame himself for everything that goes
wrong.
Now David was talking to program-ming
postulants and, in a sense, he was advocating
the same message; but David’s ‘duty of care’
places the emphasis upon the person with the
knowledge. This distinction advocates care but
rightly puts the onus of responsibility with the
person in the best position to anticipate the
problems that might arise.
Last month Jim Fogg reported the story of
how a single light bulb (about $2 in cost) very
nearly caused damage amount-ing to some
$5,000 (Sixteen Bits January 1999). Jim
delivered blame for the near catastrophe upon
the person responsible for leaving the light
burning. I think that Jim’s focus of blame is
misdirected. The situation that he described
was one in which neither he nor any other user
of the equipment could possibly predict cause
and effect. Surely the designers of the
equipment (being able to make such a
prediction) should have incorporated
protection against all eventualities into the
original design?
Not all programmers (architects) are smart
enough to forecast every event-uality. (That’s
why so many of our software products contain
the occasional bug.) But the user should be
able to expect that sufficient care has been take
at the design stage to ensure that unforeseen
expensive and serious damage cannot occur.
Where such damage cannot be avoided in the
product’s design, a potential customer should
be fully alerted to any latent danger. A message
given in fine print and buried in the middle of a
long user’s manual is not likely to satisfy the
‘duty of care’ that exists in such circumstances.
Let me explain with an example about
laptops.
Laptops have the habit of ending up on the
floor when users trip over the wires that
connect them to the wall sockets. In a
conversation over this problem with a
serviceman, I found that this frequently results
in serious and costly damage (he told me that
such accidents are common-place). My mind
has real trouble coping with the apparent enigma
of this situation!
Laptops have been in production for a
good many years and the design of the power
sockets has not changed in all that time. I am
not an engineer, but it seems to me that the
very word laptop suggests hotel-rooms, casual
wiring arrangements and potential for disaster.
Is it not possible to devise a cheap plug that
will disengage under moderate force before the
machine is pulled off the table? Is it right to
continue to manufacture a design that is prone
to frequent accident (notwithstanding
attribution of blame)?
What is happening here? Maybe the
designers are not aware that machines are
destroyed in such circumstances. Maybe
repair shops do not communicate with
manufacturers. Maybe the user accepts the
blame and cost (whereupon the facts of such
damage may not get to be revealed to the
designers). Maybe the designers just don’t
care (this I refuse to believe). Maybe the users
are too uninterested (ditto). Maybe...
I suspect that there are lots of people who,
when faced with a battle over consumer rights,
just give up. Often the reason is lack of
knowledge of legal rights and remedies; often
they are given the run-around by authoritarian
(misguided) middle-men; sometimes the ‘cost
is not worth the candle’. Whatever the reason,
failure to recognise and remedy avoidable
design faults does no good for anybody. It does
no good for the injured party who is left with
an unsatisfied resentment; it does no good for
potential customers who are denied the
opportunity for an informed choice before
purchase; and it does no good for the
manufacturer who (likely) loses at least one
customer for every accident that occurs.
If you suffer loss, you should not be too
ready to accept responsibility and, in cases of
accident, you should be prepared to discuss
the circumstances with the manufacturer of the
product. If that person is a true professional
you will be thanked for your efforts.
:
The Windows
Registry
T
…by Terry Bibo
he Windows 95/98 Registry consists are exporting the entire registry and not just
I was told by a very respected source that
of two files, User.dat and System.dat, one branch of it. My file names are all similar running through this Safe Mode procedure was
which are kept current by the operating
to reg28jan.reg (for a file that was created the best way to clean up the Registry, as it
system, rewritten whenever Windows is closed on January 28 of the current year of course).
removed all disconnected and irrelevant items.
down, and stored in the Windows folder. They
These registry backup files are self- So I put it to the test.
are complex files with a layered hierarchical executing in that if they are double-clicked in
I saved my registry as reg28jan and got a
structure and are generally left alone unless you Explorer they unpack and write to the registry. file size of 2 353 349 bytes. Then I forced
have the knowledge and the confidence to play Don’t do it! Unfortunately they do not Safe Mode and rebooted from that. This time
with them.
overwrite the existing registry but simply I saved the registry as regsafe. The file size
When Windows is first installed it also append to it. So, if you thought you had a this time was 2 352 667, or 682 bytes smaller.
creates an original registry in the files User.da0 registry problem and followed this procedure, Then I restored the original registry from my
and System.da0 and, unless you intentionally you would still have the problem plus a registry reg28jan file and saved it again as regreboot.
delete these files they will remain in your folder twice the size.
This time the registry file was 2 353 332 bytes
forever. Their purpose is for use in recovering
To safely restore a saved registry it is long, only17 bytes different from the original
from a system crash that destroys your working necessary to revert to DOS. You can do this and I can accept that. Then I ran regclean,
registry and prevents rebooting to Windows. by booting from a floppy on drive A: or which I tend to do fairly often, and saved the
The recovery procedure recommends Restart in MS-DOS mode from the Start registry again as regcleaned. The file size this
renaming these files and copying them over the menu. From the Windows folder, where time was only 2 350 545 bytes, or a reduction
corrupted current registry. It sounds simple,
regedit is found, type regedit of a further 2 787 bytes, which indicates to me
but all of these files are hidden and write- c:\filename.reg and then go and make a cup the regclean probably works. I won’t be
protected and must have their attributes
forcing Safe Mode in the future, and
changed first. It didn’t work for me when
even when it occurs naturally for me I
I crashed my laptop a couple of years Windows 95/98 is very friendly to those of
will still be running regclean regularly.
ago and had to resort to Format C:\ and
Draw your own conclusions and enjoy
us who regularly crash our computers.
a new start. Since then I have learned a
your computing.
few things that make life easier and safer
Terry Bibo
:
for computing.
Firstly, the easiest, safest and surest way of coffee. It is necessary to specify the entire
to insure against a system crash is to backup file name including the extension or regedit
the registry, and you really should have a will not find it. My 100M Pentium laptop took
backup file ALWAYS available in the root several minutes to restore the registry but you
directory. I find it advisable to make this file as may not need the coffee with faster processors.
soon as you have successfully opened
Windows 95/98 is very friendly to those
Windows because you know then that it is of us who regularly crash our computers.
working. If you install programs and otherwise Generally it tells us we haven’t closed down
use and abuse the operating system you have properly and then reboots in Safe Mode. Safe
no way of knowing what its current state is Mode uses a minimum number of basic drivers
and whether your registry is still uncorrupted.
that let you investigate the problem and remove
From the Start menu select Run... and in it. Again generally, this is not necessary, as Safe
the Open box type regedit. This brings up Mode runs scandisk and corrects most
the Registry Editor dialogue box from which problems itself. (Others are beyond the scope
you select Registry then Export Registry
of this article.) Restarting Windows from Safe
File... Put the root directory in the Save in:
Mode almost invariably restores Windows to
box and type a meaningful file name in the File normal operation. You can force Safe Mode
name: box and click Save. By default All is
by holding down the F8 key as the operating
selected for the Export range. This means you system starts to load.
THE
J
udging from the queries received at some
of the generic TIP addresses (such as
[email protected], tip.accounts@...,
webmaster@... etc), many users do not
understand how the TIP accounts sytem
works. Some of the questions we are frequently
asked include:Q. I decided to renew my TIP access for less
a full year and paid the $65 fee. I then got a
message:- “This is an automatic message from
the the Internet Project accounting system.
There is no need to reply to this message, but
if you have questions please email
[email protected]. Your payment of
$60.00 has been processed and stored against
your account.”
What happened to my extra $5?
A. For all payments for less than a full
year of TIP access, there are two
components:. an administration fee (currently $5) and
. a payment for pro-rata TIP access.
The administration fee is removed
before the payment reaches the TIP time
accounting system which (correctly) gives
you $60 worth of TIP access. The
automatic email message will be amended
to clarify this in the near future.
Q. I checked my TIP usage via the web page
http://www.tip.net.au/tip/alloc.html and the
email it returned included:“You have used xxx hours and yy minutes
Limited Access allocation.”
I have NEVER used Limited Access.
What gives?
A . TIP actually runs two accounting
meters when you use TIP services. As soon
as your username and password are
accepted, the first meter starts. You can
then either enter full access mode (PPP)
or limited access, or indeed, ponder what
to do next. When you establish a full
access connection, the second meter starts,
and both meters continue running until
you disconnect from TIP. So when you
query the status of your TIP account,
ocation to cover any full access hours you
have paid for.
Q. I received an automatic email warning me
that my membership of PCUG will expire soon,
but I paid by cheque last week ...”.
INTERNET
PROJECT
A. The PCUG membership system is not
handled by or on TIP, and TIP normally
only receives a copy of the PCUG
membership data once per week. For your
updated membership status to reach TIP,
the payment must be processed by the
Executive Secretary, who then forwards
details to the Membership Secretary, who
updates files and uploads the data to TIP.
This processing loop is why we strongly
suggest that you renew early so that this
process can be completed BEFORE you
lose access, and we have time to fix any of
the (inevitable) glitches in the system.
…by Allan Mikkelsen
Don’t panic until your payment does not
show at least two weeks after you sent it.
Note that the current status of your
account can be checked from the Limited
Access menu by choosing “s” then “td”.
You can reach the limited access menu by
dialiing in using a terminal program such
as Hyperterminal, and connecting to
supreme, OR, from a full access
connection you can telnet to supreme.
Alternatively, and usually easier, the
information wil be emailed to you if you
submit the form at http://www.tip.net.au/
tip/alloc.html.
:
The Internet Clinic
Internet Clinics are normally held at the PCUG Centre, Northpoint Plaza Belconnen
the first Saturday of each month 9.30am to 1pm. There is no cost involved.
So if you (or another PCUG member you know of) are having problems you (or
they) will be welcome to attend. It is suggested that you call the PCUG Centre on
the day and check with the staffer that we are not overloaded before coming along.
To get a problem on your PC resolved it is essential that you bring all of the following
items with you:
•
PC and Monitor, plus all interconnecting cables
•
Mouse
•
Keyboard
•
Modem
•
Modem power supply
•
Modem cables - from PC to modem
and from modem to telephone
socket
•
Modem and PC manuals & documentation
•
All of your software disks i.e Win3.1. or Windows95 disks/CD
If you don't have a PC to "fix" but you want to get some guidance on some particular
aspect of using TIP, please feel free to come along and simply talk to us.
Clinics are not a free software/modem installation service. We do expect you to
have made a reasonable attempt at getting the software installed & working.
[email protected]
Ockhams
OckhamsRazor
Razor
C
omputers are being used extensively
thought so. He wrote a novel in 1996 called asking us more frequently what we’d like them
in politics. Is this a good thing and ‘Interface’ featuring an ambitious State to do next and becoming hooked on the drip
where will the future take us? Governor with a microchip implanted in his feed of opinion pol data. The superhighway
Transcript Robyn Williams: Just before the last brain which allows him to process electronic will make this technically very simple.
General Election in Britain I went to the
opinion poll data and react instantly to the
Now, that the superhighway will bring this
Millbank Headquarters where the Labour
mood of the times.
about, we can confidently predict, having
Party’s secret weapons were working around
If we discount the more fanciful aspects of watched the possible become the desirable in
the clock. They included the Fast Response
his story and leave aside the microsurgery, the so many other fields of life.
Unit and Excalibur, a computer system which story is still an important parable for our times,
If we don’t understand what’s so special
has all the speeches and comments of the Tory
times in which the interface between politics about representative democracy, we won’t be
politicians stored away to be retrieved almost
and technology is about to become an able to make informed choices about how the
instantly if a Labour frontbencher wanted to
uncomfortable place to be.
new technologies might change it. The changes
score a point.
The discomfort is going to come from two might be for better or worse, but changes there
The system was deadly, and as you’ll sources: Firstly, the era of electronic democracy will be, and now is the time for some informed
remember on May 1st last year, helped to
is likely to give us access to vastly greater debate about just how we’d like to put the
deliver a huge victory to Tony Blair and his
quantities of information. Once the television superhighway to best use.
battalions, a victory from which the
and the telephone and the PC have merged,
I was called a wanker and an academic
Conservatives are yet to recover.
political information will pour down the old recently for insisting that understanding the
Computers in politics: It’s already a fast
phone line. The smart teleputer will allow us to difference between direct democracy and
developing phenomenon. Where will it lead?
dial up and receive copies of legislation, representative democracy was pretty
Here’s an opinion from John background information, Hansard transcripts fundamental. It was interesting that both should
Nieuwenhuizen, author of the ABC book
and much, much more. All of which is supposed serve as terms of abuse.
‘Asleep at the Wheel - Australia on the
to improve the democratic process.
Despite the fact that we elect MPs to go
Superhighway’.
The second source of discomfort is a bit and represent our interests, we also expect
John Nieuwenhuizen: Imagine we’re in an more difficult to come to grips with, a bit more leadership from them. Edmund Burke summed
election campaign, Jeff Kennett or John
difficult to explain, and as you’d expect, the up this notion more than two centuries ago
Howard traipsing about the electorate pressing
one with more profound consequences.
when he told his constituents that he felt he
the flesh, kissing babies and visiting old
If the superhighway fulfils the expectations owed it to them to be a pillar of state, using his
people’s homes. Nothing unusual in that until
of its more ardent enthusiasts, we’ll see an judgement, rather than behaving like a
somebody notices that
weathercock, ‘of no use’,
Jeff and John seem to be
he said, ‘but to indicate the
What will happen in ten or twenty years when the physical
more than one step ahead
shiftings of every
of the media; a bit more
fashionable gale’.
necessity of visiting a polling booth has been removed and
ahead of the issues, a bit voters can simply press buttons on the TV remote control, enter
Around the time of the
quicker to gauge the
drafting of the American
mood of the people, a PIN number and vote yes or no to capital punishment, say, or Constitution, one of its
the logging of the rainforests.
always ready to say and
framers,
Alexander
do just the right thing at
Hamilton, echoed this when
the right time, in the right
he said that it is the duty of
place.
insidious drift away from representative politicians to ‘withstand the temporary
They’re reading the mood of the people democracy toward some form of what’s called delusions of the people in order to give them
almost before the opinion polls are published.
direct or participatory democracy. We’ll see a time and opportunity for more sedate
In fact they seem to know the results almost as
form of electronic democracy where the same reflection’.
the pollsters are asking the questions.
teleputer will not just provide us with
As Burke said, we should expect
The only explanation is that the data from information, but will allow instant opinion leadership from our politicians not more slavish
the polls is flowing more quickly than usual,
polling, instant referenda and instant voter adherence to the will of the majority on any
perhaps directly to the politicians. Not just
feedback.
given issue on any given polling day.
directly to them, but directly into them, into
If the American experience is anything to
And there’s the rub, of course. What will
their heads, and into their brains.
go by, our politicians will increasingly use the happen in ten or twenty years when the physical
It’s the stuff of science fiction of course.
superhighway to tell us what they’re doing, but necessity of visiting a polling booth has been
Or at least American writer Stephen Bury
this will also tempt them to lead from behind, removed and voters can simply press buttons
Computers in politics!
on the TV remote control, enter a PIN number
and vote yes or no to capital punishment, say,
or the logging of the rainforests.
This is not as far fetched as it sounds. In
the US giving everyone a say in minireferendums has become increasing popular.
They’re quaintly called ‘ballot initiatives’. There
were more than 150 of these at the 1994 State
elections and they covered everything from gay
rights to fixed terms for politicians, to the
question of cutting of Social Security benefits
for illegal immigrants.
As Bill Gates points out, at the moment for
logistical reasons, these ballot initiatives can
only happen while a major election is taking
place. But he sees a day in the near future when
the information superhighway would allow such
votes to be scheduled more frequently because
they will cost very little to organise.
Think of this idea: the idea of an ongoing
schedule of electronic referenda. Millions of
us could express our views on Aboriginal land
rights today, and Hansonism tomorrow. At a
glance I suppose, this might look like the purest
expression of democracy. But nothing,
absolutely nothing, would further undermine our
representative system of government.
Because, believe it or not, the inertia that’s
built into our political system, the standoffs
between the two houses of parliament, the
struggle between the State and Federal
Governments, these things are designed to
reduce what government can actually do. The
glacial pace of the bureaucracy, the checks and
balances applied by the courts, by these means
the individual is protected from the ravages of
an overactive government, while the markets
basically roll on regardless. And just as
importantly, the individual is protected most of
the time from the tyranny of the majority.
Now maybe this is not what we want from
our government. Maybe we would like them
to be free to do more. But we certainly
wouldn’t want to change the system just
because technology made it possible.
Bill Gates must have read Stephen Bury’s
book because he actually looks forward to the
day on which a politician might receive a million
pieces of email on a topic, or the day on which
a politician can have his beeper announce the
results of a real-time opinion poll from his
constituents. And Bill Gates is confident that
this day is not far off. Bill Clinton is already
receiving 160,000 email messages every day.
Now that is not communication, that’s
madness.
That’s what’s called an excess of
democracy.
If we don’t manage the introduction of this
technology carefully, it’s an excess that could
lead to a rash of poor decision making; it could
lead to knee-jerk government and policy
making on the run. On the other hand, it could
paralyse government. Neither alternative would
improve things much.
It’s een been suggested that the
superhighway will remove the need for
politicians to actually meet face-to-face in
parliament. The technology will allow them to
vote and debate online, and this is supposed
to allow them to spend more time with their
constituents. But what if the pollies actually just
spend more time closeted with the pollsters
and glued to their computer screens?
And what’s possible for the politicians will
also be true for the average voter. No more
grassroots democracy. No more marching in
the streets. Just silent blinking screens, smart
teleputers linking one citizen with the next in a
great web of virtual citizenship. Lobbyists won’t
be found in lobbies any more. They’ll be online
organising torrents of email and rallies in
cyberspace, instead of petitions and town hall
meetings.
In America, candidates have already been
unseated by campaigns initiated and coordinated over the Internet. And while we can’t
blame the medium entirely, the truth is we have
already commenced our ride down the slippery
slope to electronic democracy, and we are
assuming that the ‘electronics’ won’t alter the
‘democracy’. Historian Daniel Boorstin wrote
of this dilemma in relation to television many
years ago contrasting what he called the
‘segregated’ experience of watching television
... with the necessary health and vigorous
deliberative ‘public life of a democracy’. If
there was concern about the isolating,
segregational effects of television, we should
be extremely worried about computers and the
superhighway.
It might be said that we’re already a long
way from having much in the way of ‘public
life’ in our democracy. The emphasis on getting
out and marching in the streets, on attending
political rallies and meetings, is much reduced
from what it was twenty or thirty years ago.
The process of politics for the great majority
of people is mediated by television and by
newspapers.
If this is so, why should we be concerned
at how the superhighway might influence our
political behaviour?
There are plenty of people who believe that
politics is already too poll-driven. If technology
makes it cheaper and easier to poll more
people more often, and to have the results of
these polls collected instantly, we might end
up with a future in which Ray Martin or the
producers of ’60 Minutes’ have more clout in
setting policy than the elected government
(though I suppose some people would argue
that that’s already the case).
IIn optimistic moments it’s possible I
suppose to see the new technologies as offering
great advantages to democracy. Bill Gates and
others obviously think that empowering
previously disenfranchised groups is one good
thing that will spring from the new technologies.
But how will pouring more information
around the country help democracy? The
simple, cheap and instant communication
offered by the superhighway is only going to
benefit democracy if citizens are motivated and
able to process political information. More
communication is not always better
communication. Some fans of electronic
democracy work from the premise that people
have lost faith in government because they feel
they have little or no input into its workings.
On the other hand, perhaps people don’t want
more input or more information. What they
want is real, concrete solutions to real,
concrete social problems.
Bill Clinton’s staff, faced with a million
email messages, might suggest that what they
have is a communications problem. Or a
problem with the volume of communication.
But to the average voter there is neither a
communications problem nor a volume
problem. There are real problems, in their
streets and in their homes, just as there are in
Australia.
It’s completely naive to think that the
promised democratic dividend of the
superhighway, an increase in available
information, it’s naive to think that this will bring
many real or tangible benefits. Because how
many voters, other than perhaps journalists and
academics, have the time or inclination to call
up those online Hansard reports as part of their
political decision making process? Is access
to parliamentary White Papers or Green
Papers something that the public has been
hanging out for? Given access to detailed
documentation on, say, the complexities of the
health insurance system and Medicare
legislation, would the average voter really be
in a position to deal with such information?
Where are all the people calling for more
information in our political debates?
It’s undeniable that the era of cheap,
instantaneous digital communication will bring
us benefits. But we’re unlikely to be able to
capitalise on these without broad-ranging
public debate about the forms, and the functions
and the flaws of the existing systems and the
ways in which the superhighway might change
these for better or for worse. Will the availability
of the technology make it more attractive to
poll the populace more frequently? Will the fact
that the technology makes interactive
democracy possible, also make it desirable?
How far are we from the day when, abandoning
print and TV advertising, politicians and
political lobbyists will concoct individually
tailored interactive multimedia presentations,
sent via the superhighway to every living room
in the land?
Again, it may be no bad thing to have
alternatives to mass television advertising, but
let’s not be naive and assume that the new
environment will be either cheaper or ‘more
democratic’ and let’s certainly ensure that we
shape this new environment deliberately and
cautiously. Let’s not be hurried because the
technology is just around the corner.
Remember always that new technology is
usually just around the corner because
somebody stands to make money through
convincing us to abandon the old and buy the
new.
Robyn Williams: Not Luddite, but prudent.
John Nieuwenhuizen is author of the ABC book
‘Asleep at the Wheel: Australia on the
Superhighway’. He is now Director of the
Sydney Writers’ Festival.
:
CGI
CGI
Scripting
…by Owen Cook
I
found this definition of CGI scripting
For the experts only - a programming
language needed to program tasks
that are not within the capabilities of a
browser
(http://www.pcug.org.au/
tip/info/usercgi.html).
Well once upon a time I was
overwhelmed by CGI, but tackled the
subject and decided it wasn’t all that bad,
just a few tricks to learn, and you are away.
So what is CGI? Well it stands for
Common Gateway Interface. Now store that
piece of trivia away and let’s ask the next
question, What does it do?
Ever filled out a TIP or PCUG renewal
form on the net? If you have that was handled
by CGI, likewise, filling in a query box on a
search engine and pressing the “Search” button
activates a CGI script somewhere. In fact for
any form you fill out on the net, there is a fair
chance it is handled by CGI.
Where do I get it? You’re in luck because
if you are a member of TIP, you are allowed
to use TIP’s CGI facilities. Most ISPs control
their CGI facilities in house for not only security
reasons, but if you are a trader, they are in
position to know how much trading you do,
and so know how much more they can extract
in fees from you.
What do I need to get CGI up and running?
Bit hard this question, but you do need to have
a bit of HTML experience, like if you have
made a simple Home Page, then that’s enough
experience. Alternatively you need an ability
to filch other people’s work, to be able to read
it and then modify it to your needs. That’s how
I started off!
But more fundamentally, you need WSFTP
and a good text editor. WSFTP is the only
know way for TIP users to change the
permissions of files.....don’t let your eyes glaze
over, I will explain shortly. The other thing that
WSFTP allows, is for files to be uploaded in
ASCII mode, this is very important.
You also need a text editor that does
not generate spurious characters. So
Microsoft’s Notepad is NO GOOD. Please
do not use it. You can get a freeware
WSFTP from TIP at ftp://ftp.pcug.org.au/
pub/pc/win95/ws_ftple.zip (W95)or ftp://
ftp.pcug.org.au/pub/pc/windows/
ws_ftple.zip (W3.1x) and you can get a
decent freeware text editor from
InterACT’s TUCOWS site , have a look at
http://tucows.interact.net.au/
htmltext95.html.
Now back to permissions. You may not
realize it, but with your membership of TIP,
you have a little section of TIP’s computer
assigned to you, and you alone. Other people
might be able to read it, as in looking at your
home page, but they cannot change it unless
you give them permission to do so.
However for other people to run your CGI
scripts, you must give them permission to do
so, and this is done by using WSFTP. In the
future, you may be able to use Telnet, but right
now, it is WSFTP. As an aside, it is very
important that you keep your password to
yourself, and do not alter any permissions to
allow others to write to your little piece of TIP.
Otherwise you might find you page hacked,
or someone has used your space for their own
use.
This month, I will give you a simple form,
and next month, the CGI script to handle it.
This form will ask for your last name and your
first name, and when it is submitted, the CGI
script will take both names submitted and print
them. No big deal, but if you get the gist what
goes on, then you have cracked CGI.
OK, here is the HTML for the form,
and if you are too lazy to type it up
yourself, have a look at http://
www.pcug.org.au/~rcook/test1.htm , it will
give you a very basic form, and saving it
will give you the file. If you use it, you will
have to change the ‘rcook’ to your userID.
CGI
CGI
<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>A Sample Form</TITLE>
</HEAD><BODY>
<FORM method=”post” action=”http://
w w w. p c u g . o rg . a u / c g i - b i n / c g i w r a p /
~youruserid/test1.cgi”>
Last
Name:
<input
size=20
name=”lastname” maxlength=20 value =
“”><BR> First Name: <input size=20
name=”firstname” maxlength=20 value =
“”><BR>
<input type=”submit” value=”Send It Now”>
<input type=”reset” value=”Cancel”>
</FORM>
</BODY></HTML>
Now the first three lines, and last one, are
the standard minimum for a HTML document.
It is the lines in between that make the form
work. The first line says:
<FORM.... says it is a FORM. The
FORM is going to be POSTED And to make
it work, you need “test1.cgi”. This will be in
your WWW area, “cgi-bin” sub-directory. But
please note the path to the CGI script, it has
to be that way for TIP security. Where it says
“youruserid”, ( or “rcook” )please replace it
with your UserID
The next two lines describe what the input
is going to be, one box is going to have “Last
Name” beside it, and it has these
characteristics; It can not take more than 20
characters; It has a name, and the name is
“lastname” ;(that’s imaginative !) The initial
value is nothing, ie, nothing between the “” .
Then the next two lines tell us we need two
buttons, one will say “Send It Now” and when
that is clicked on, the data will be sent, the
other is a reset button, also imaginatively named
“Cancel”.
Lastly </FORM> says it is the end of your
HTML form.
So, once you modify it for your use, upload
it as test1.htm to your WWW area, and while
you are there, create a “cgi-bin” sub-directory.
You will need that to upload the CGI script
next month.
CGI
Well that’s it for this issue, next month
will have the script to make it work, as well
as an explanation of how it works. In the
meantime, you might want to look at http:/
/www.pcug.org.au/tip/info/usercgi.html
and read up what TIP says about CGI.
Security Holes in MS Office 97 Apps
…compiled by Peter Ortner
R
ecently a couple of security holes were
discovered in Microsoft Office
applications. One allows a malware
writer to write a Word 97 document with a
macro that can do anything - without you even
knowing. This affects users of Outlook 98,
Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator (if
the right plug-ins are installed). Unfortunately,
unlike previous security holes and scares (like
the New Year Israeli hype) this is very serious.
Rather than describe it myself I will quote
the eloquent authors of Woody’s Office Watch.
GAPING SECURITY HOLE IN IE/
OUTLOOK AND OFFICE
Listen up, people. This is serious. Probably
the most important article that’s ever appeared
in Woody’s Office Watch.
WOWser DavidF wrote to me last week
with a masterful, amazing hack that exploits
the largest Office security hole I’ve ever seen.
No, I’m not going to tell you the details of how
the security hole works (Microsoft will give
some broad info) - and I sure as hell hope
nobody else drops enough hints to teach some
%$#@! idiot malware writer how to do it. But
I will tell you what it does. If you have Office
installed, and you use Internet Explorer to view
an infected Web page, that page - without your
knowledge, or any action on your part - can
wreak havoc on your system. It can drop a
virus, delete a folder, scramble data, send your
tax files to Timbuktu... anything. Similarly, if
you use Outlook 98 or later to view an infected
HTML message, that message - with no action
on your part - can do anything to your system.
Anti-virus legend Dr. Vesselin Bontchev
confirmed DavidF’s report by showing me an
HTML file that exploits the security hole. It’s...
scary. It’s way too easy to exploit, unlike some
more obscure security problems you don’t
have to be a ‘rocket scientist’ to spread
trouble. For that reason, WOW has decided
to be quick about warning our readers to get
the protective patch before examples of this
spread ‘in the wild’.
DavidF told me, “I’m a bit surprised this
isn’t more widely known. I notified the IE team
of it long ago...” As in the past WOW has been
able to bypass Microsoft’s bureaucracy and
quickly get the details to the people who matter.
Once we passed along David’s news to the
right levels inside Microsoft, the offal hit the
impellers, a team has been working day and
night for the last few days to find a fix.
Microsoft will be posting that fix in the next
few hours. That’s why we held off on sending
WOW to you this week - to make sure the fix
was ready and that it works. It does.
Let me make this really clear. Every single
Office user who also uses Internet Explorer or
Outlook 98 or later, MUST INSTALL THIS
PATCH. It’s only a matter of time before some
%$#@! cretin figures out how to exploit this
hole. You - and everyone you know - needs
protection NOW.
There’s actually TWO security patches out
today. We’re particularly concerned with the
Word 97 Template patch, but you should get
the Forms 2.0 patch as well. More info on both
problems below.
continued on page 23…
…
We want to give you the best
service.
—————————————————————————————————-———————
We custom build your computer to your requirements.
CALL FOR GREAT PRICES ON
SYSTEMS, UPGRADES, SOFTWARE, COMPONENTS , MONITORS, PRINTERS
_____________________________________________________________________
ALWAYS FOR QUALITY SERVICE & PRODUCT
PH: 2577555
L & S ASSOCIATES
FX: 2472880
69 PATERSON STREET, AINSLIE A.C.T. 2602
SALES - SUPPORT - SERVICE - NETWORKS - COMPONENTS - SOFTWARE - REPAIRS
____________________________________________________________________
Try our Web site on
www.ls.com.au
WORD 97 TEMPLATE PATCH
Microsoft Security Bulletin: http://
www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/
ms99-002.asp Office Update Download
Page: http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/
downloaddetails/wd97sp.htm
Nhan Tran’s Now Official
TIP Web Help Pages
http://www.tip.net.au/tip/help
FORMS 2.0 CONTROL PATCH
Office Update Download Page: http://
officeupdate.microsoft.com/
downloaddetails/fm2paste.htm
Microsoft Security Bulletin: http://
www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/
ms99-001.asp
Please. Take a few seconds to forward this
article to everyone you know who doesn’t
subscribe to WOW. Urge them in no uncertain
terms to get the patches, and apply them
immediately.
All I ask is that you keep this article
intact - don’t change it - and that you send
it in its entirety. If there are any updates,
we’ll post them to http://www.wopr.com/
immediately.
And thanks to WOWser DavidF. Excellent
work, my man.
Woody’s Office Watch is a completely free
e-mail newsletter - you can subscribe by
sending a blank messge to [email protected]
or subscribe at
http://www.woodyswatch.com/wow/ :
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
We sometimes get strange queries on
[email protected] or on the PCUG Centre
phones, but few can match these helpdesk
howlers which turned up in an English based
list that I read.
A woman called the Canon help desk with a
problem with her printer. The tech asked her if
she was “running it under Windows.” The
woman then responded, “No, my desk is next
to the door. But that’s a good point...The man
sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a
window, and his is working just fine.”
Tech Support: “OK Bob, let’s press the control
and escape keys at the same time. That brings
up a task list in the middle of the screen. Now
type the letter ‘P’ to bring up the Program
Manager.”
Customer: “I don’t have a ‘P’.”
Tech Support: “On your keyboard, Bob.”
Customer: “What do you mean?”
Tech Support: “‘P’ on your keyboard, Bob.”
Customer (indignantly): “I’m not going to do
that!”
MULTIPLE
PROFILE
SETTINGS in
NETSCAPE
4.5
…by John Allen
I
have two internet connections - each with
different proxy and other settings. The
Profile Manager facility in Netscape 4.5
allows me to have different settings for each
account, which means that I don’t need to either
continually change settings, or set up different
users in W95.
Instructions: After Netscape 4.5 has been
installed, click on the Netscape Utilities folder
then start the User Profile Manager.
Click on New - the User Profile Manager
wizard will then ask for details of the account.
Most of the information requested by the
wizard is about mail and news settings - if you
use other packages for mail and news (like
Eudora and Agent) then this information is not
important. The main information required is
the User name and Profile name.
If more than one account is set up in the
Profile Manager, when you start Netscape
Navigator it will first ask you to select a profile
name, then Netscape starts and loads all the
settings for that profile. The first time you start
Netscape for a particular profile you can set
the proxies and any other settings, and
Netscape will associate all those settings with
only that profile in future.
Be warned that Netscape Navigator also
assigns a separate cache for each profile, so
you may want to adjust the cache sizes (Edit/
Preferences/Advanced/Cache) if you are short
:
on disk space.
• What's new
History of changes to TIP help page
• TIP Contact Details
Phone numbers, domain, proxies,
email addresses
• Useful TIP information
Time allocation, usage statistics
• TIP documents
Agreement, Charging Scheme,
Acceptable Use Policy, Access
Application
• InternetFAQ
Answers to the Frequently Asked
Questions about the Internet: what is
the Internet, what you can do,
netiquette
• TIP help FAQ
• Answers to the Frequently Asked
Questions about various problems
other people may have had with The
Internet Project; your problem may
not be a new one
• ‘How-to’ documents
How to set up and use various
programs needed to make the most of
your Internet account.
• Glossary
Translating acronyms, computer
jargon, 'netese and emoticons like ;-)
in plain English.
TIP Technical Information
Domain (PCUG)
Domain (AUUG)
DNS server
Mail server
News Server
ftp server
WWW server
pcug.org.au
auug.org.au
203.10.76.34
mailhost.Domain
newshost.Domain
ftp.Domain
www.Domain
Bits & Bytes
…compiled by Andrew Clayton
Dear friend,
I am desperately seeking technical support.
I’m currently running the latest version of
Girlfriend and having some problems.
I’ve been running the same version of
DrinkingBuddies 1.0 all along as my primary
application, and all the Girlfriend releases have
always conflicted with it. I hear that
DrinkingBuddies won’t crash if you run
Girlfriend in background mode with the sound
switched off. But I’m embarrassed to say that
I can’t find the switch to turn it off. I just run
them separately, and it works OK.
Girlfriend also seems to have a problem
co-existing with my Golf program, often trying
to abort Golf with some kind of timing
incompatibility. I probably should have stayed
with Girlfriend 1.0, but I thought I might see
better performance with Girlfriend 2.0.
After months of conflicts and other
problems, I consulted with a friend who has
had experience with Girlfriend 2.0. He said that
I probably didn’t have enough cache to run
Girlfriend 2.0 and that eventually it would
require a Token Ring to run properly. He was
right- as soon as I purged my cache, it uninstalled itself.
Shortly after that, I installed Girlfriend 3.0
Beta. All the bugs were supposed to be gone,
but the first time I used it, it gave me a virus. I
had to clean out my whole system and shut
down for a while.
I very cautiously upgraded to Girlfriend
4.0. This time I used an SCSI probe first and
also installed virus protection. It worked OK
for a while until I discovered that Girlfriend 1.0
was still in my system! I tried to run Girlfriend
1.0 again with Girlfriend 4.0 still installed, but
Girlfriend 4.0 has a feature I didn’t know about
that automatically runs which results in the
immediate removal of both versions!
The version I have now works pretty well,
but there are still some problems. Like all
versions of Girlfriend, it is written in some
obscure language I can’t understand, much less
re-program. Frankly, I think there is too much
attention paid to the look and feel and not
enough to the desired functiona lity.
Also, to get the best connections with your
hardware, you usually have to use gold plated
contacts. And I’ve never liked how Girlfriend
is totally object-oriented.
A year ago, a friend of mine upgraded his
version of Girlfriend to GirlfriendPlus 1.0,
which is a Terminate and Stay Resident version
of Girlfriend. He discovered that GirlfriendPlus
1.0 expires within a year if you don’t upgrade
to Fiancee 1.0. So he did. But soon after that,
you have to upgrade to Wife 1.0, which he
describes as ‘a huge resource hog’. One of
the primary reasons that he upgraded to Wife
1.0 was that it came bundled with FreeSexPlus
1.0.
Well, it turns out that the resource allocation
module of Wife 1.0 sometimes prohibits access
to FreeSexPlus,particularly the new Plug and
Play items he wanted to try. On top of that,
Wife 1.0 must be running on a well warmedup system before he can do anything.
And,although he did •not ask for it, Wife
1.0 came with MotherInLaw 1.0, which has a
pop-up feature he can’t turn off.
I told him to install Mistress 1.0, but he
said that he heard that if you try to run it without
first uninstalling Wife 1.0, that Wife 1.0 will
delete MSMoney files before doing the uninstall
itself. The Mistress 1.0 won’t install anyway
due to insufficient resources. Anybody out there
able to offer technical advice?
Bewildered
J
…compiled by Victor Bushell
W
e had the grandchildren, nephews
and nieces over during the holidays
and they were eagerly showing me
what they had learnt at school.
Ben was demonstrating his multiplication
skills by creating examples using the digits 1 to
5, such as 254 X 31 = 7874. He pointed out
that some products were bigger and some
smaller. I suggested that he experiment to try
to find one group of 2- and 3-digit numbers
(as in the example) that would produce the
smallest possible product, and another group,
again of 2- and 3-digit numbers, that would
produce the largest possible product. What did
Ben find? Tara was playing with a set of
wooden blocks. After a while she noticed that
some blocks must have been made by cutting
a red 3-inch cube into 1-inch cubes.
After some counting she proudly informed
me of these facts: Eight corner cubes were red
on three sides and the centre cube showed no
red. Of the remaining eighteen cubes, twelve
were red on two sides and six were red on
only one side. There were twice as many cubes
red on two sides as there were cubes red on
only one side, and there were eight times as
many cubes red on three sides, as there were
cubes red on no sides.
Also in her set were some that must have
made from a blue cube by again cutting it into
1-inch cubes. Here some facts were precisely
the converse of the red cube. The blue block
had twice as many cubes blue on one side as
there were cubes blue on two sides, and there
were eight times as many cubes blue on no
sides as there were cubes blue on three sides.
What was the size of the original blue block?
Sam had been learning his ‘days of the
week’ so one day we played the game What
Day Is It ... When the day before yesterday
was referred to as ‘the day after tomorrow’,
the day that was then called ‘yesterday’, was
as far from the day we now call ‘tomorrow’
as yesterday is from the day on which we shall
speak of last Monday as ‘a week ago
yesterday’.
On what day of the week did we play the
game?
Cathy had a game based on a country,
Calcularia, which has not yet adopted a
decimal system of currency. It still uses three
monetary units, something like our old pounds,
shillings and pence - but in Calcularia the three
units are called Sums, Bits and Pieces.
Here, as an example, is a copy of a cashregister slip for some items you might buy in
Calcularia.
Candles
Soap
Iceblocks
Pencils
TOTAL
Sums
3
2
7
8
22
Bits
7
13
6
11
12
Pieces
5
7
7
6
1
I know the addition looks weird (as does
the shopping list) but the cash register slip is
correct. Can you tell how many Pieces to a
Bit and how many Bits to a Sum there are in
Calcularia?
Congratulations to Phil McFadden, Paul
Free and Terry Holden for their excellent
solutions to the January puzzles and for their
interesting comments. The 12 days of
Christmas was a prime example of the 2-way
nature of these puzzles. All three members
added to my understanding of the problem itself
and insight into problem solving generally. All
three approached it from somewhat different
angles. All three dispelled any doubts I had in
including the puzzle in the first place. The two
formulas I mentioned in the puzzle were for
the sum of the natural numbers: 1, 2, 3, ... and
their squares 12, 22, 32, .... Proving these
formulas is not required to solve the puzzle but
it does add to the flavour. The usual method of
deriving the sum 1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n is to reverse
the sum to n + (n-1) + (n-2) + ... + 1, add the
1st, 2nd, 3rd, ... terms of one sum to the 1st,
2nd, 3rd, ... terms of the other to get n lots of
(1+ n), which is twice the sum required, so the
sum is n (1 + n)/2. That is, add the first and
last terms and multiply by half the number of
terms. That’s elementary. The sum of squares
is a bit harder. Several methods exist but most
rely on somewhat advanced techniques. The
simplest method (I think) is based on the first
formula and is more “from first principles” than
other methods. Obviously, the sum of the
squares is the larger sum. How much larger?
Look at the relative sizes of the sums of 1, 2, 3
etc terms. That is, examine 12/1 and (12 + 22)
/ (1+ 2) and (12 + 22 + 32 ) / (1 + 2 + 3) and
(12 + 22 + 32 + 42) / (1 + 2 + 3 + 4) etc. These
give 1/1, 5/3, 14/6, 30/10 or, with a bit of
juggling, 3/3, 5/3, 7/3, 9/3 etc. and the pattern
emerges: (12 + 22 + 32 + ... + n2 ) / (1 + 2 + 3
+ ... + n) = (2n + 1)/ 3. That is, the sum of the
squares is (2n + 1)/3 times as large as the sum
of the numbers and the formula follows
immediately. Now notice that the totals of the
gifts for day 1, 2, 3, etc are 1, 1+ 2, 1+ 2+ 3,
etc. These can be written as 1(1 + 1)/2, 2(1 +
2)/2, 3(1 + 3)/2, etc. Summing these and
arranging gives 1/2 [1 + 12 + 2 + 22 + 3 + 32
+ ...]. Next apply the two formulas and with a
bit of algebra the sum of gifts is given by [n(n +
1)(n + 2)] / 6. For the 12 days this total is 364
(one less than the number of days in a nonleap year). Just in time!
For the Peace
Conference, the only possible combination that
will offend the least is: Atlantia, Cornovia and
Empirea (from the Northern powers) with
Voolubu, Yubabi and Zemberia (to represent
the Southern bloc). There is no need to consult
Neumania about it; she will just have to like it
or lump it. As Paul Free said, no doubt a
Boolean algebra wizz would just write down
the solution. You could also use trial and horror
or elimination. Take your pick. And by the way.
This month the puzzles are about numbers, toy
blocks, days and money. What we all learnt
about years ago. Adults have no excuses!
:
Send your replys (or gifts and/or
bribes) to Vic at:
[email protected]
OFTWARE
S LIBRARY
Phil Trudinger Ph: 6248 8939
(11am-6pm)
Email: [email protected]
NEW AND UPDATED
WINDOWS FILES
(Files marked with an asterisk are 32-bit
and will not run under Windows 3.1)
CALCULATORS
CDMLCALC (1084507 bytes)
Phil Trudinger
Examples are included to help get you started.
Reg Fee $29
FONTS
FONTPAGE (691726 bytes)
FontPage 2.0.3 lets you examine and compare
all of the fonts on your system. You can view
any typeface in bold, italic, underline and 3-D.
You can also print out a specimen page for any
font, or print a list of them. Reg Fee $0
ORPHAN1 (15479 bytes)
Orphanage Riot 1.0 is an interesting TrueType
font with a hand-lettered look. Reg Fee $?
CDML Advanced Calculator 1.3 is an
advanced calculator for every-day use. It has
Memory functions: Tape display, English/Metric
Conversions, Scientific Expression Evaluator
and Financial Functions. The tape can be
searched, printed, annotated or copied to
Notepad. Reg Fee $0
ZOMBIE (22512 bytes)
CW32_23* (4517915 bytes)
Algebrax for Windows 1.0 is an Algebra tutor
with five guided chapters that take you from the
basics to more advanced topics. Each problem
has the option to show the correct answer and
the steps used to achieve the answer. Reg Fee
$?
CalWin 2000 2.3 is a desktop calendar package
for Win95/NT. Features include weekly/
monthly views, printing capabilities, network
compatibility, and more. Reg Fee $25
INVISION* (236364 bytes)
Invision 1.2 is a graphing calculator for Win95/
98. Features include the ability to zoom/pan, a
variety of analysis functions, and more.
Please Note
The files described in this article are on the
January 1999 CD-ROM (PsL Vol 7, #1) which is
currently on the Bulletin Board: All are ZIP files.
The text files, CD1 to 7 inclusive, in Area 1 of
the Bulletin Board, are the monthly CD-ROM
file lists.
Reminder
Most CD-ROM programs are Shareware. A
reasonable time (generally one month) is
allowed for evaluation, but if you continue to
use a program beyond this time you should
comply with the author’s conditions that
usually require payment of a registration fee.
Bear in mind that this is the only way by which
an author receives any reward for his/her
efforts. Unless otherwise stated registration
fees are in US dollars.
Zombie! is an unusual TrueType font with a
ragged, hand-drawn look. Reg Fee $0
EDUCATIONAL
ALGEBW95 (3977667 bytes)
ASTRO (1012309 bytes)
Astro-Mania 1.00 is an educational game
covering the Universe. It has eight levels and
lets you choose what subject area you want to
cover. Its great pictures and ease of use makes
it not only educational but also fun. Reg Fee
$15-$20
GTUNE_X* (883848 bytes)
G-Tune 1.1 is a computer-based guitar tuning
program for Win95/98. It uses your system’s
sound card to play the tones. It also includes a
real-time oscilloscope and spectrum analyser.
Reg Fee 15 Pnds.
KDSJMBLE (156241 bytes)
Kid’s Jumble 1.0 is a game to help children
improve their vocabulary, spelling, and math
skills. It has an endless series of Word Jumbles
or Math Questions to answer. Score is kept for
correct and incorrect answers. Lists of up to
the last 150 correct and incorrect answers are
displayed. Reg Fee $?
MERLYN2A* (3476415 bytes)
Merlyn 2.0 does for mathematics what the
word processor and spell checker do for
writing. It lets you think about the concepts
while it takes care of the details. You spend
out while riding on the backs of ostrich-like
birds. Reg Fee $0
LB23DEMO* (410101 bytes)
Laser Blocks 2.3 is an interesting variation of
the ‘falling block’ type games. An endless
supply of blocks with pipes embedded in them
fall from the sky. If you can line up three or
more pipe sections, then a laser removes them
and if you remove all the sections of pipe from
a given block it will disappear. Requires Win95
and the VB4 runtimes. Reg Fee $10
MAZERACE* (980970 bytes)
more time solving problems and less time
copying, fixing, editing and rewriting them. You
can: create documents that combine text and
equations, manipulate and solve the equations
you create, and produce profess-ional,
publication quality documents. Requires Win95/
98. Reg Fee $49-$89
SOCHPC (2760160 bytes)
Socrat CE for Handheld PC is Russian-English
and English-Russian translator for Windows
CE. Reg Fee $40
CUBALLZ (1706975 bytes)
3D Cuballz 1.0 is a fun space shooter with
excellent 3D graphics. You must defend your
ship against killer cubes and deadly spheres,
while gathering various power-ups to increase
your ability to blast enemies from the sky. Both
16- and 32-bit versions are included. Reg Fee
$20
J5 (6091767 bytes)
Maze Race is a fun maze game for up to four
players. The object is to be the first to reach
the exit point of the maze, while hitting the
walls as few times as possible. You may also
create your own mazes. Requires Win95 and
the VB5 runtimes. Reg Fee $0
SMSETUP2* (3515109 bytes)
SpiteNET: Spite & Malice 3.2.2 is a competition Solitaire card game that you play against
the computer or an opponent on the Internet.
Requires Win95/NT. Reg Fee $20
SPCKNG40* (2217506 bytes)
Space King 4.0 is an Intergalactic Economic
Strategy game for Win95/NT where you travel
from planet to planet buying a selling stock.
Features include music/sound support,
animation, and full colour art/graphics. Requires
SVGA, mouse, and sound card. Reg Fee $5
Jouster 5 is an updated version of the classic
arcade game ‘Joust’, where warriors battle it
TT98_32* (8901965 bytes)
Touch-Typing 98 3.2 teaches you touch typing
in an easy, effective and amusing way. It
allows you to advance according to your own
personal pace, with a variety of exercises of
different categories. Its user interface is very
intuitive and simple to operate, which makes
this suitable for all levels of typists. Requires
Win95/98/NT. Reg Fee $39
GAMES
32ROU10* (1646531 bytes)
3D Roulette 1.0 is a fabulous casino game with
excellent 3D-graphics and sound effects.
Requires Win95/98 and SVGA. Reg Fee $20
ACRO126F (4379901 bytes)
AcronyMania 1.26 is a fun and challenging
word game where you are shown an acronym
or a term, or phrase, or definition. Your job is to
select the ‘correct’ response from the three
choices offered. The faster you pick the right
choice, the more points you get. Reg Fee $15
GET ORGANISED
2DAY61* (3746621 bytes)
Visual Day Planner 6.1 is a customisable
calendar program for Win95 that provides
scheduling, events, memos and appointments.
Other features include WYSIWYG printing
capabilities, MIDI and WAV alarm support,
drag and drop support, and much more. Reg
Fee $30
32PSAO35* (2772427 bytes)
PrimaSoft Address Organizer 3.50 helps you
organise your personal or business addresses,
emails, phones, and web pages. Features
include support for an unlimited number of
records, graphical fields, a wide variety of
printing options, and more. Requires Win95/NT.
Reg Fee $43
ANW101 (737453 bytes)
Ample Notice for Windows 1.01 is a flexible
appointment calendar/alarm clock package. It
features a variety of options for viewing,
printing, sorting and archiving the appoint-ment
file. Reg Fee $30
NCOMXP11 (3330698 bytes)
Ncome and Xpense 1.1 is a scheduler/manager
that will help you keep track of expense
amounts, income amounts, and their due dates.
The program keeps a running total of what you
owe and when payment is due. This is a handy
tool for making sure you don’t miss important
bill payment dates. Reg Fee $19.95
PLACE101* (300633 bytes)
Someplace 1.01 provides a place to keep odds
and ends that don’t fit neatly into a file cabinet
or traditional database program. Features
include quick searches, phone dialing, web
linking, the ability to launch other programs to
retrieve related data, and more. Requires
Win95. Reg Fee $15
your own impressive video art from an intuitive
palette. Objects can be rotated, re-sized,
morphed into other objects, have colour added,
and more. The program also includes a simple
graphics construction game and 18 sample
images with viewer. Reg Fee $15
CVIPROEV* (1339926 bytes)
RedBox Organizer 2.2 is an all-in-one personal
information package with a calendar, To-Do
list, anniversary list, business plan scheduler, a
contact manager, sticky notes, report generator,
alarm reminder, message notificat-ion and
more. Requires Win95/NT. Reg Fee $40
CyberView Image Pro 4.02 is an interactive
live JPEG image compressor. Features include
selective image compression, separate
compression sliders for Luma (intensity) and
Chroma (colour), side-by-side presentation of
source image, compressed image and simulated
8-bit view of JPEG, and more. Requires Win95/
98/NT. Reg Fee $?
XREM200R* (835878 bytes)
GIFLIST (1561207 bytes)
RBO22* (1478079 bytes)
xReminder 2.1 is a useful reminder program
that works with the Taskbar clock. Reminders
can be set to go off at various intervals,
including daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.
Requires Win95/98/NT. Reg Fee $20
GRAPHICS
ANYLOGO* (191040 bytes)
AnyLogo 1.1 allows you to change your
Win95/98 startup and shutdown screens,
customise your OEM logo, and change desktop
wallpaper. Reg Fee $0
CS2000 (2144327 bytes)
Crazy Square 1.0 is a 256-colour graphics
demonstration which will allow you to create
GIFlist 2.6 displays a sorted list of image files in
a directory. The images are displayed with a
browser. This can be useful to find, organise,
and document all of your GIF and JPG files in a
directory. Reg Fee $?
IF32* (1395959 bytes)
IconForge 3.5 makes it easy to create and edit
icons, multi-res icons, animated icons, and
cursors. Imports from ICO, CUR, ANI, image,
EXE and DLL files. Tools include: brush, line,
rectangle, circle, zoom, flip, nudge, rotate, text,
scissors, and special effects filters. Multiple
icons may be edited at the same time for easy
cut and paste between images. Requires
Win95/98. Reg Fee $42.95
PMIO12* (1987818 bytes)
Pink Mouse’s Image Organiser 1.2 is a
powerful and flexible tool for organising and
viewing your image files. You can use it to
view, copy, move, rename, delete and comment
your images. You can also use it to
automatically generate HTML documents for
use on the Web. This version supports BMP
and JPEG images, and requires Win95/98. Reg
Fee $0
QPF150E* (461463 bytes)
Quick Paint 1.50 is a small and simple paint
program for Win95/98/NT. It offers powerful
brush painting, multiple image buffering, as well
as basic painting tools like simple line draw,
bend line draw, oval/rectangle draw and text
drawing. Reg Fee $25
WIZZSW* (2443754 bytes)
ASL Wizzard is a 24-bit colourbook program
for Win95/98/NT. Not only can you design and
build your own scenes, you can manipu-late
realistic water pens, acrylics, and oil paints that
mix colours as you apply them. Also you can
JavaScript, forms, tables, and HTML code is
done for you. Reg Fee $various
O350E32* (1199575 bytes)
Opera 3.50 is a web browser, usenet news
reader, and email client for Win95/NT. Reg Fee
$30
PHOTOPAC (2532785 bytes)
PhotoPac DragNDrop makes packaging digital
images for distribution to friends and business
associates easy. Drag images from Windows
Explorer, Olympus PhotoAlbum or other OLE
server, or import using a twain com-pliant
device. It automatically creates a table-type
presentation your viewers look at with their
Internet browser. The presentation consists of
thumbnail renderings of each image and links to
the full size images. You can choose to output
the presentation to any mapped drive Reg Fee
$29.95
SBSU3B3 (2712871 bytes)
use scanned textures from real objects as
paints. That means you can paint tree trunks
with scanned tree trunk images, you can paint
foliage with real leaves, pathways with real
stones, and so on. Reg Fee $24
INTERNET
01BRO460 (374814 bytes)
1st Choice Browse98 4.60 displays multiple
websites on one screen, while connecting to up
to 200 active URL addresses at once. You may
import your Internet Explorer Book-marks into
a ‘Favourite Websites Database’, and preselect sites that will be navigated as a group.
Reg Fee $95
01FTP650 (227846 bytes)
FTPPro98 6.50 looks and feels just like
Windows Explorer, except you can also
transfer files to and from FTP sites. Features
include drag and drop support, the ability to
copy entire folders, background processing, and
more. Reg Fee $95
AURALN16 (6531547 bytes)
Auraline Multimedia Kit 1.60 allows you to
create professional JAVA and GIF animation,
ticker tape, text scrolling, audio and video
effects. It has a 5,000+ media library with
PowerPoint97 multimedia templates, as well as
cool 3-D graphics, sound effects and
backgrounds. Reg Fee $49.95
BANDZ15 (453897 bytes)
Browse and Zip 1.5 is a Plugin for Netscape
and Internet Explorer (versions 3 & 4) which
allows you to view the contents of ZIP files
without having to download the entire file,
download individual files to view without having
to download the entire ZIP file, restart aborted
downloads completely within your browser, and
download and install programs from ZIP files
automatically. Reg Fee $25
BT (2817049 bytes)
Buttonz_Tilez 1.0 helps create buttons of
various shapes, and seamless textured tiles.
Buttons can be created with various bevel
types and shapes from either an imported
image, or using a procedural texture. For tiles,
you can choose from 20 basic texture types, all
of which can be modified to suit your needs.
Additionally, textures can be combined in layers
to produce more complex ones. Reg Fee $0
DIALEROO (595937 bytes)
Dialer 2000 1.30 is designed to keep you
connected to the Internet, no matter what! You
can preset many functions, including checking
your email for new messages while online, and
more. Reg Fee $10
SimulBrowse 3.0 is a browser that allows you
to view multiple sites at the same time. Web
sites are opened on tabs which allow you to
easily switch between open sites. Reg Fee $0
URL2 (538143 bytes)
URL Address Book is a handy URL and Email
address information manager. It will
automatically grab Web page details, bookmark them into a book file at the click of a
button, or you can select a site from your book
file and have your browser automatically
launch and go to the site. You can also store
user IDs, passwords and associated email
addresses with your favourite Web sites in a
book file. Reg Fee $19.95
MISCELLANEOUS
BWORKS (1010876 bytes)
BookingWorks provides an easy means of
keeping all the information you need in order to
efficiently contact, schedule, and track your
bookings. BookingWorks is equally useful for
performers and for venue operators. Reg Fee
$50
CSHOP1 (776258 bytes)
Circuit Shop 1.04 allows you to create and
learn electronic circuits and concepts. Features
include drawing support to construct simple
MSHOP104 (5041402 bytes)
Mallsurfer Shop 1.04b is a shopping cart
generator. You give it the details for your shop
and it will create a fully functional shopping cart
which you can upload to your web site so
people can order products online. All the
circuits consisting of basic analog devices such
as resistors, batteries, transistors, diodes, and
transformers, a tutorial which teaches basic
electronic concepts, and a simple paint toolbox
to allow text, lines, ovals and rectangles to be
added as circuit annotations. Reg Fee $29
ERGOSNS (690319 bytes)
Omniquad ErgoSense 1.0 helps prevent eye
strain and Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI)
problems by suggesting some relaxing
exercises after you have used your computer
for a long period of time. The 3D graphics are
very well done. Reg Fee $9.95
FRB16110 (1202194 bytes)
FRB32110* (1235451 bytes)
FundRaiser Basic for Windows 1.10 provides
everything you need to fundraise like a real pro:
record donations, make address changes, code
donors, print timely thank you letters, labels,
envelopes, print deposit report. Sorting/selecting
for targeted mailings is a snap, as are the
impressive and useful reports. Requires Win95/
98/NT. Reg Fee $89
GENDES20 (554863 bytes)
GenDesigner 2.0 allows you to easily dist-ribute
your genealogy tree on the Internet. With a
single click your tree will be presented in nice,
graphical webpages, including any pic-tures and
additional information you have supplied. An
example file is included. Reg Fee $0
HMCOOK32 (462947 bytes)
Home Cookin 3.2 is an easy to use meal
management system for Windows that includes
a full-featured recipe database, grocery list
manager, and calendar/meal planner. Other
features include a powerful search system,
flexible batch operations, support for
informational text, and the ability to import
recipes from a variety of formats including
Meal-Master, Computer Chef, and Mastercook
II. Reg Fee $35
QINFO14 (495945 bytes)
Quick Info 1.4 can quickly and easily provide
the location and time-zone of an area-code, the
country and city dialling code of over 2000
international cities, the local time in those cities,
and the country that an Internet suffix belongs
to. Reg Fee $0
PREP72W (1128832 bytes)
72 Hour Emergency Preparedness 1.1 helps
you learn about emergencies and all the things
you will need to be ready for, so your family
can prepare for disasters. It will assist you in
deciding what to store for your survival and
your family. Reg Fee $0
SPENDERP (4350175 bytes)
Spender Pro 2.0 is an interactive personal
finance package that provides excellent tools
for daily financial management and lifetime
financial planning. It works with expenses,
income, monthly planning, and much more. Reg
Fee $38.95
SCREEN CAPTURE
KLEPTO10* (248693 bytes)
Kleptomania 1.0 captures on-screen text of any
application. This allows you to grab text in
menus, dialog boxes, message boxes, status
lines, lists and trees, application areas and
more. It preserves the font name, size, bold/
italic style, and copies captured text to the
clipboard in plain and Rich Text Format.
Requires Win95/98. Reg Fee $19.95
PRINTKEY* (287774 bytes)
PrintKey 4.00 allows you to capture and print
the Win95/98/NT desktop or the active
window. There are a lot of features to change
the picture or to save it in a different file
format. Reg Fee $0
ST98_100* (537929 bytes)
Screen Thief 98 1.00 is a powerful screen
capturing package for Win95/98 that allows you
to capture the desktop, a specific window, or a
user-defined area. It can also capture a
complete application including all of its
windows but not all the other windows or icons
contained on the desktop. Reg Fee $20
SECURITY
LL32E135* ( 833017 bytes)
LeBackup Light 1.35 allows you to easily
backup important files in the background while
you are working. Both English and French
languages are supported. Requires Win95/98.
Reg Fee $0
MFD_ (141110 bytes)
Magic Folders 98.10a makes any folders
completely invisible to others but instantly
available to you. This is an excellent utility for
anyone who shares a computer. This works
with both Win31 and Win95. Reg Fee $29
PCSAFE* (1788076 bytes)
PcSafe98 2.0 locks your desktop when you are
not using it. It disables the taskbar and taskswitching unless you know the pass-word.
Requires Win95/98. Reg Fee $0
PTRACK* (1068934 bytes)
Password Tracker Deluxe 3.50 helps to keep
track of all your passwords in Win95/NT.
Features include the ability to automatically
send the password to the program, notificat-ion
when passwords expire, and password
protection of the tracking list. Reg Fee $15
viewer, a raw HTTP Browser, FTP client, a
built-in PIM with address book/to-do listing, and
much more. Reg Fee $5
ITFACE* (462437 bytes)
Omniquad Active Interface 1.1 makes your
desktop, start menu and desktop bars behave
intelligently. It has the unique ability to
recognise how you use your computer and
adjust your Win95 environment accordingly,
cutting point and click time to the barest
minimum. Reg Fee $19.95
MOREMEM4 (304841 bytes)
MoreMem 4.0d helps prevent the dreaded ‘out
of memory’ error when trying to load Windows
programs. It achieves this goal by trying to
insure that each application will have access to
the required 512K of conventional DOS
memory for its program segment prefix. Reg
Fee $40
MULTIL16 (1653077 bytes)
RAVPR608 (1471450 bytes)
Romanian AntiVirus 6.08 is a powerful virus
scanner combined with a code emulator that is
able to detect most advanced macro and
polymorphic viruses. Reg Fee $29
SHIVA* (980055 bytes)
Shiva, Destroyer of Files 2.02 completely
obliterates all traces of any files you drag to its
window. It overwrites files with fixed and
random patterns, including any cluster
‘overhand.’ It then truncates and renames the
file, removing all evidence of that file. Requires
Win95. Reg Fee $20
WW2INSTL (1063443 bytes)
Window Washer 2.2 allows you to clean up the
history of your activities on your computer. You
can have it automatically clean when Windows
is started or shutdown and you can also
schedule timed cleanings. It also integrates with
popular programs like Netscape and ICQ. This
is an excellent utility to help maintain privacy on
your PC. Reg Fee $29.95
WXF32_35* (772710 bytes)
WinXFiles (32-bit) 3.5 helps prevent
unauthorised access to all types of files,
particularly image files. Features include a
secure multi-image viewer, a secure file wipe
function for deleting files, support for most
popular image formats, and more. Reg Fee $24
V98I401E* (8722628 bytes)
VirusScan for Win98 4.0.1 is a popular application that detects and removes computer
viruses. Reg Fee $65
UTILITIES
AQUADUX (3480042 bytes)
Aquariun Deluxe 1.0 is a beautiful screen saver
with realistic fish. Reg Fee $12.95
DS95* (340154 bytes)
Directory Snoop 2.1 allows you to examine
your Win95 disk drives at a very low level.
Features include the ability to view the raw
DIRENTRY structures for any directory, view
the device parameters and disk map for any
drive, view the names of your ‘erased’ files
with the option to purge them, view the file
allocation table, view raw clusters for any file
or directory, and much more. Reg Fee $0
FNE321* (1267913 bytes)
FileNotes (JS) 3.2 allows you to add notes to
Win95 file and folder objects. Notes can be
easily accessed by right-clicking on any file/
folder and selecting the Properties menu option.
The notes will remain with the file and folder
objects when they are moved, copied or
renamed. Reg Fee $14
GENIUS20* (2828136 bytes)
Genius 2.0 is a useful collection of utilities for
Win95/98/NT. Features include a clipboard
MultiLine 1.6 allows you to merge a multi-line
file into a merged line file. This fixes text files
with long fixed length records and unwanted
line wraps. Reg Fee $?
PULSAR10* (170950 bytes)
Pulsar! 1.0a is a screen saver that displays
pulsing lines and colours on your Win95
desktop. Reg Fee $?
SAN420* (2271931 bytes)
SiSoft Sandra 98 4.20 is a powerful diagnostic
utility for Win95/98. It displays a wealth of
undocumented system information, and the help
file explains most of the terms used. It can
email, fax or print system reports. Reg Fee $30
TSKINF10* (351937 bytes)
TaskInfo 1.00 shows real-time information
about all running processes and threads. This
information includes CPU usage, scheduling,
path, command line, environment variables,
memory usage, DLLs and much more.
Requires Win95/98. Reg Fee $0
WINBOOT (220081 bytes)
WinBoot 2.0 allows you to create multiple
AUTOEXEC BAT and CONFIG SYS files
using a unique editing screen, and save them to
easy-to-use setup buttons. Reg Fee $19
WW2INSTL (1063443 bytes)
Window Washer 2.2 allows you to clean up the
history of your activities on your computer. You
can have it automatically clean when Windows
is started or shutdown and you can also
schedule timed cleanings. It also
BPMDOS (289994
bytes)
Business Plan Master 2.7a
helps you create a professional
business plan. It contains
sample templates in ASCII and
WordPerfect format that you
can easily modify to suit your
individual needs. It also
provides Lotus spreadsheet files
to assist in the generation of
financial statements and
analysis. Reg Fee $34
PCCLK460 (171139
bytes)
integrates with popular programs like Netscape
and ICQ. This is an excellent utility to help
maintain privacy on your PC. Reg Fee $29.95
NEW AND UPDATED
DOS PROGRAMS
AUROR30C (673654 bytes)
Aurora/DOS 3.0c is a powerful and easy-touse text editors. Features include file capacity
up to 1 gigabyte, multi-window capabilities, full
mouse support, syntax highlighting for more
than 20 languages, a ‘colourised’ macro
language, an integrated file manager, undoredo, Win95 long filename support, and much
more. Reg Fee $39.95
HARDWARE AVAILABLE FOR
USE AT THE PCUG
CENTRE (by members only)
*
New scanner with both
graphics and OCR capability
and 35mm transparency
adatpor
*
Scanner with graphics
capability
*
CD burner
PCClock 4.60 is a digital alarm
clock that displays the date and
time in big characters and will
optionally set your system’s
time and date automatically by
calling (through your modem)
the National Institute of
Standards and Technology’s
atomic clock in Boulder,
Colorado.
There are 12- and 24-hour
modes, and an optional Big
Ben hourly chime. Reg Fee
$20
PRESZ130 (89009
bytes)
The Partition Resizer 1.30
is the safe and easy way to
repartition your hard disk,
without erasing its contents.
Reg Fee $0
PULSAR_F
(2514485 bytes)
Pulsar Flux is a platform
shooter for DOS where
you are a robot that must
destroy mut-ants and roboservants on a distant planet
in order to stop the illegal
production of the evil
virtua-psycho drug.
Features include smooth
animation, excellent music
and sound effects,
interesting puzzles, and
more. Reg Fee $25
:
POSITION VACANT
Trainers
The PCUG needs volunteers to join the
team of trainers in a number of different
fields.
You would be asked to train or assist a
trainer with a class of up to eight
members in our own fully equipped
training room.
If you are interested, or want to know
more about it, phone or email us.
Email expressions of interest, telling
where your expertise lies, to
[email protected]
BETTOWYND
monitor repair specialists
No Fix ---No Fee
Prompt, guaranteed repairs to ALL
types of monitors and terminals
(including Apple and NEC)
Fixed price, with discount to
Members
Quality second hand
monitors are also available
for purchase
Unit 5 Centrecourt, 1 Pirie st,
FYSHWICK
Telephone 6239 1043
What Can You
See??
D
o you have a good eye for colour?
Would you like to find out?This
article is for anybody who would like
to explore their own ability to distinguish colour
separation and to examine the capabilities of
the machine’s colour capabilities. You will need
15 to 20 minutes to complete the exercise.
Just a few caveats before we begin: You
will need a PC machine running
Windows(tm). You will need a mouse and a
good colour monitor and you will need to
adjust your monitor to have it display its
optimum contrast and brightness. You will
also need to have knowledge of how to use
a mouse and (hopefully) you won’t be
colour-blind.
The plan is to draw 16 doughnuts on the
screen each with an identically coloured outer
ring. Each will have a progressively lighter
shade of the same colour within the ‘hole’. The
object is to see how many degrees of colour
separation are needed before your eye can
detect the middle dot. To begin, you should
set your machine’s COLOUR PALETTE to
true-color. You do this by selecting
Start~Settings~Control
Panel~Display~Settings. You need truecolor to enable the finest colour separ-ation
possible. Now open the package called
PAINT (tm) . You should find it in
Start~Programs~Accessories
(Note: Slightly different if you are running
Windows 3.1 or 3.11 (a lot different if you are
still using DOS), but the facility has been
available as Paintshop(tm) for a long time and,
with a little fiddling you should be able to get
this experiment working no matter what
configuration you are using.
1. Select a blue colour from the colorbox. You do this with the left button of
the mouse. Now click Options~Edit
colors~Define Custom Colors >>.
You should now see a colourful
2.
3.
4.
5.
dialogue box on screen with a lot of
confusing buttons and boxes. Don’t
worry. We’re only interested in three
boxes. They’re labelled Red, Green,
and Blue. Can you see them? Each has
a number which you can change.
Change the numbers for red and green
to ‘0’ (zero) and blue to 128. When
you’ve done that click Add to
CustomColors. Then click OK.
Now you’re ready to draw your first
doughnut.
Find the ‘ellipse’ button in the toolbox; select it; and draw a circle with
it. The circle should be about the size
of a five cent piece (ie big enough to
see but not too big that you can’t fit
another fifteen of the same size on the
screen). If you are not familiar with the
PAINT(tm) package you should take
time out at this point to have a fiddle
with this feature (also using Edit~Undo
as necessary) until you are comfortable with its capabilities. The
finished circle should be colour-ed
solid blue.
Now select the colour ‘white’ from the
color-box and use the same ‘ellipse’
tool to draw a smaller (white) circle
within the blue one such that the whole
resembles the shape of a doughnut.
Now copy that shape another 15 times
to finish up with sixteen doughnuts
reasonably well spaced over the
screen.
All we have to do now is to change
the colours of the centre ‘hole’ of the
doughnuts by progressive increments/
decrements of colour shade. We’ll
increment by 8 degrees of separation
at a time in order to show quick results
(later we will reduce this to one degree
…by Don Nicol
of separation). Re-select the colour
blue from the colour-box.
6. Now
click
Options~Edit
colors~Define Custom Colors >>.
Remember this dialogue box? Make
sure that the numbers in the red and
green boxes are ‘0’ (zero) but change
the number in the Blue box to be 136.
When you’ve done that click Add to
CustomColors. Then click OK.
Now you’re ready to colour your first
hole.
7. To do this all you have to do is to select
the Fill With Color button from the
tool-box and left-click the ‘hole’ of the
first doughnut. (The Fill With Color
button looks like a paint-can spilling
its contents - unless you’re using
Paintshop(tm) in which case it looks like
a paint-roller).
8. Now repeat step 6 for each of the
remaining doughnuts each time adding
8 to the number in the Blue box. When
you have finished you can review the
final screen and make your own
judgement as to its usefulness.
Experiment with this technique. Try out a
variety of steps-of-separation. Try red or green
instead of blue. Save you work and compare
your ability to detect differ-ences with friends.
You never know you may be able to get to
understand what the experts mean when they
use those strange-sounding words when talking
graphic art.
For those readers who don’t have the time
or inclination to do the above, I have written a
program that will enable its users to see the
patterns described. I hope that you will be
able to download it from the Bulletin Board
by the time that this article is published. It is
called COLWHEEL.EXE and might be found
in Area 113.
Enjoy.
:
…compiled by Malcolm Morrison
Jini
Jini technology provides simple mechanisms
that enable computers and devices to plug
together to quickly form impromptu,
networked communities assembled without
any planning, installation, or human
intervention. Jini Technology makes
computers and devices able to quickly form
impromptu systems unified by a network.
Such a system is a federation of devices,
including computers, that are simply
connected. Within a federation, devices are
instant on—no one needs to install them. The
network is resilient—you simply disconnect
devices when you don’t need them.
Jini technology provides simple mechanisms
which enable devices to plug together to form
an impromptu community - a community put
together without any planning, installation, or
human intervention. Each device provides
services that other devices in the community
may use. These devices provide their own
interfaces, which ensures reliability and
compatibility. It doesn’t matter where a
service is implemented - compatibility is
ensured because each service provides
everything needed to interact with it. There is
no central repository of drivers, or anything
else for that matter. And the Jini
infrastructure is small enough that a Jini
device community can be built out of the
simplest devices. For example, it is entirely
feasible to build a Jini device community out
of home entertainment devices or a few
cellular telephones with no “computer” in
sight.
The Java programming language is the key to
making Jini technology work. Devices in a Jini
network are tied together using Java Remote
Method Invocation (RMITM). By using the
Java language, a Jini system is secure.
Devices permeate our lives. Look around:
TVs, VCRs, DVDs, cameras, phones, PDAs,
radios, furnaces, disk drives, printers, air
conditioners, CD players, pagers, and the list
goes on. A device performs a simple task,
and only that task: Today devices are
unaware of their surroundings—they are rigid
and cannot adapt. When you buy a disk drive,
you expend a lot of effort to install it or you
need an expert to do it for you. Now, devices
of even the smallest size and most modest
capabilities can affordably contain processors
powerful enough for them to self-organize
into communities that provide the benefits of
multi-way interactions. A device can be
flexible and negotiate the details of its
interaction. We no longer need a computer to
act as an intermediary between a cell phone
and a printer. These devices can take care of
themselves - they are flexible, they adapt.
Home audio and video equipment is rapidly
moving to the digital world, giving rise to new
technologies for connecting diverse
components into an integrated home A/V
environment. Every audio- and video-phile
dreams of needing only one control point for
the stereo, VCR, television, and CD player.
HAVi, a specification for home audio/video
interoperability, allows consumers to build a
home environment to coordinate the control of
several devices, simplify operations, and
deliver content wherever it needs to go. Add
a high-speed cable modem and a set-top box
with Jini software and a HAVI-to-Jini
technology bridge, and you have instant
access to a whole range of high-bandwidth
services, such as video-on-demand or live
broadcast viewing. Download a movie to the
living room television set, then transfer it to
the TV in the kitchen. Use the TV remote as
a control for your home security system, or to
turn off the ringer on the telephone. In
addition, you can use Jini technology and the
Internet to upgrade the software in your
HAVi compatible devices.
IBM and Bell Atlantic Deliver Home
Networking Solutions
IBM and Bell Atlantic have announced that
they have joined forces to deliver IBM Home
Director home networking systems to
homeowners throughout the northeastern
United States. Now consumers throughout
the Bell Atlantic operating area will have
access to some of the most advanced home
networking technology — including in-home
PC networking — from two names they can
trust.
By combining their respective expertise in
home-networking technology and knowledge
of the home marketplace, IBM and Bell are
working to transform the way homeowners,
builders and developers implement and access
advanced telecommunications infrastructure
systems. Soon consumers will be moving into
new homes wired with some of the most
advanced home networking technology
available.
Recent developments in technology, such as
the rapid expansion of the Internet, growing
numbers of intelligent devices and new
transmission methods like ADSL make the
delivery of home networking solutions a
natural fit for Bell. As a result, homes
equipped by Bell and IBM will be able to
network their PCs, distribute the signal from a
single VCR or DVD player to any TV, share
an Internet signal and be equipped to take
advantage of future home networking
advances and devices.
The agreement is effective immediately,
covering activity throughout the Bell Atlantic
region from Maine to Virginia and has the
potential to expand further into other markets.
Visit the IBM Home Director Web site
www.pc.ibm.com/us/homedirector/
Call Waiting
Barry Coyles offered this very useful
information in the TIP newsgroups:
There is a command which should be
available on your telephone exchange that will
allow you to achieve switching Call Waiting
off and on easily. The command is *44. To
use it simply prefix your outgoing call with this
command and Call Waiting will be deactivated
for the duration of the call. This command is
not available on all exchange types. Another
solution offered is Easycall Multiple Number
which provides an additional telephone
number to a customer’s line for the cost of
$4/month rental. Importantly, Easycall
features provided to the line, can be controlled
by each number. With Call Waiting, you can
leave it in an active state on the original
number if that is the number that you wish to
receive and make voice calls on, and turn it
off on the additional number so that calls to
the Internet on this number are not
interrupted.
MP3 - Believe The Hype
MP3 is simply the best way to compress
audio for downloading from the Internet. It
has quickly become the standard and there
are now more MP3 listeners, software
programs, and hardware devices than any
other CD quality audio format in the world.
The beauty of MP3 is its high compression,
from Albania share equal billing with a major
signed band from LA. Musicians will have
access to the largest audience available in any
one medium. This is good news for unsigned
artists as it provides a cost-effective method
of promotion and distribution. MP3 is at the
heart of the Internet philosophy, and is set
to revolutionise the music industry.
The new Lycos MP3 search site is accessible
through the Lycos.com home page under
“advanced search.” Lycos makes no claims
to the quality or legality of files uncovered in a
search. According to both Lycos and
Searchterms.com, the term MP3 is the No. 2ranked search word, just after “sex.” Lycos
maintains the new database merely facilitates
searches for its search engine users.
Microsoft may extend
Windows 98’s Life
CNET at News.com reports that Microsoft
may extend the life of Windows 98 through
2003—two years longer than expected— but
still intends to base its next major consumer
operating system release on Windows NT.
The software giant insisted it has not altered
its stated plans of shifting the core of its next
consumer OS from the DOS-based Windows
98 to a Windows NT “kernel.” But the due
date for that release has now been pushed
back at least two more years. In the
meantime, Microsoft will explore options for
extending Windows 98 functionality and
stability with interim updates. “The next major
consumer release will be based on the NT
kernel,” said Bill Zolna, a spokesman for
Microsoft. “But that doesn’t mean there
won’t be smaller releases” based on
Windows 9X code. See www.news.com
Dell Increases Linux Support
high quality capabilities. For example, a
three-minute wav file would take up about
30 MB of disk space, the same song
recorded in a near CD quality MP3 file
would be around 2MB. MP3 levels the
music industry playing field. It gives the
artists and labels the freedom to market and
distribute their material in any way they
please. Where else could a small local band
CNET News.com also reports that getting
Linux on a Dell Computer server or
workstation will get easier when Dell and Red
Hat Software announce that specific Dell
servers and workstations have been certified
to run Red Hat’s version of Linux. Dell is
working with Red Hat to ensure that its
hardware will be compatible with the
increasingly popular Linux operating system,
especially on hardware destined for small and
medium-sized organizations. Under the
alliance, Red Hat will announce that specific
configurations of two Dell servers have been
certified to work with Red Hat’s Linux.
Colour for Palm-Size PCs
Imagine being able to put your computer in
your pocket and take it wherever you go literally. Already, thousands of people are
doing just that. They read and respond to email, update their weekly schedules, listen to
books on tape, record their thoughts, play
computer games and view content from the
Internet-all with a device that fits into the
palm of their hand. Soon they’ll be able to do
it all in colour. Microsoft has announced it has
shipped a new version of its Windows CE
operating system to hardware companies that
manufacture Palm-size PCs (P/PCs). The
first of these colour-enabled devices are
expected in US stores during the first half of
this year. The worldwide market for personal
companion devices is expected to jump from
1.2 million devices sold in 1997 to 4.1 million
units this year, according to an October 1998
report by International Data Corporation.
Smile with BeamLink
•Instantly send and receive E-mail/messages
wirelessly through your Windows CE
Companion (Palm-size PC’s, Handheld
PC’s, and Handheld PC Pros-Windows CE
Companions) using infrared, completely free
of connection cords. •Synchronize E-mail/
messages you receive on your pager with
Outlook™ on your desktop computer.
•Automatically store pager numbers based on
your preferences. Pager numbers will be
properly categorized into one-way or twoway. •Send multiple E-mail/messages with
one touch, leaving your pager to send them
out one by one. See www.jpsystems.com/
:
The Internet Project
Im p o rta n t N o te s - p le a s e re a d
A p p lic a n t D e ta ils (m a n d a to ry)
F irs t N a m e
1.
A ccess to T h e In te rn et P ro je ct is av ailab le o n ly to
m em b ers o f P C U G o r A U U G an d is g o v ern ed b y th e
In tern et P ro jec t A c cep tab le U se P o licy, co p ies o f w h ich
can b e o b ta in ed at th e P C U G C en tre, o r d o w n lo a d ed
fro m th e P C U G B B S o r fro m T h e In tern e t P ro ject.
2.
T h e In tern et P ro ject is m an ag ed an d ad m in istere d b y
v o lu n tee rs. T h e In te rn et P ro ject aim s to o ffe r affo rd a b le
acc ess to a s m an y m em b ers a s p o ssib le, allo w in g
m em b ers to ex p e rien c e all th e re so u rc es o f th e In te rn et.
N o m in im u m level o f a ccess o r serv ice is o ffered o r
g u a ra n te ed .
3.
T h ere is a lim it o f o n e In tern et ac co u n t p er n o n co rp o ra te m em b e rsh ip . C o rp o rate m em b e rs m ay sp o n so r
u p to th ree in d iv id u a ls, w h o a re th en p erso n a lly
resp o n sib le fo r th e o p eratio n o f th eir a cco u n ts. P le ase
co m p lete o n e ap p licatio n fo r each p erso n .
4.
P art o f yo u r em ail ad d ress w ill b e d eterm in ed b y th e
p rin c ip al o rg an isatio n . If yo u r m e m b ersh ip o f th a t
o rg an isatio n ex p ire s, so to o d o e s yo u r m em b ersh ip o f
T h e In tern e t P ro jec t. In th is ev en t, n o refu n d s fo r u n u sed
allo catio n w ill b e m ad e .
5.
T h e In tern et P ro je ct re serves th e righ t to a lte r p rices an d
services o ffe re d at an y tim e. F ees p aid fo r In tern et ac cess
are n o n -refu n d ab le an d n o n -tran sfera b le.
Last N am e
P rin c ip a l O rg a n is a tio n
q
q
AUUG
PCUG
M e m b e rs h ip N u m b e r
I, th e a p p lic a n t, d e c la re th a t I h a ve re a d th e te rm s o f
th is a p p lic a tio n , a n d a ffirm th a t th e d e ta ils th a t I h a v e
p ro v id e d a re c o rre c t.
S ig n e d :
E x is tin g A c c o u n ts
q
q
C h a n g e fro m L IM IT E D to F U L L A C C E S S
R e n e w a l fo r F U L L A C C E S S - 1 2 m o n th s
C u rre n t L o g in N a m e
N e w A c c o u n ts
q
q
N E W A p p lic a tio n fo r F U L L A C C E S S
N E W A p p lic a tio n fo r L IM IT E D A C C E S S
L o g in n a m e re q u e s t, in o rd e r o f p re fe re n c e (o p tio n a l)
1.
A c ce ss C a te g o r ie s
6.
2.
3.
Y o u r lo g in n a m e m u s t b e 2 to 8 c h a ra c te rs lo n g . It
m a y c o n ta in o n ly le tte rs a n d n u m b e rs , a n d M U S T b e
c le a rly b a s e d o n y o u r re a l n a m e
P a ym e n t (F u ll A c c e s s o n ly)
7 . L im ite d A c ce ss
a)
L im ited A cc ess p ro vid e s term in a l-b a sed em ail an d
n ew s o n ly.
b ) L im ited A cce ss is free o n ap p lica tio n .
c) In a n y calen d er ye ar, ca lcu lated fro m th e 1 st
F eb ru ary, L im ited A cce ss p ro vid e s u p to 1 0 0 ‘h o u rs’
u sage .
P le a s e m a k e c h e q u e s p a ya b le to :
P C U s e rs G ro u p (A C T ) In c .
P a y m e n t:
6 m o n th s :
$ 6 5 .0 0
3 m o n th s :
$ 3 5 .0 0
M e th o d o f p a ym e n t:
q
$ 1 2 0 .0 0
1 2 m o n th s :
V is a
q
q
C ash
B a n k c a rd
q
q
q
8 . F u ll A c ce ss
a)
F u ll A c cess p ro v id es P P P o r S L IP ac cess an d
in clu d es e m a il, n ew s, W W W , etc .
b ) A d v an c e A cc ess is n o t free. C u rren t ra tes are sh o w n
at left w ith u p to 2 5 'h o u rs' p e r m o n th u sage o ver th e
p erio d .
c) W h e n yo u r F u ll A ccess su b scrip tio n exp ires O R yo u
u se u p yo u r h o u rs o f a ccess (w h ich eve r is earlier),
yo u w ill b e req u ired to p u rch a se an o th er
su b scrip tio n .
d ) F u ll A ccess u sers also receive a L im ited A c cess
allo catio n - se e ab o ve.
q C heque
q M a s te rc a rd
C a rd N u m b e r:
E xp iry D a te :
N o te: H o u rs d eb ited d o n o t n ece ssarily eq u ate to rea l
h o u rs o n -lin e; tim e allo catio n w ill b e d eb ited in a n o n lin e a r fash io n d ep en d in g o n th e am o u n t o f tim e sp en t
o n -lin e in an y given d ay. T h e d eb it rate is set fro m tim e
to tim e b y th e In tern e t P ro je ct M an a gem en t C o m m ittee .
For
m o re
d eta ils,
refer
to
h ttp ://w w w .tip .n e t.a u /tip /ch a rg in g
/
N a m e o n C a rd :
9.
S ig n a tu re :
C o lle ctin g Y o u r L o g in D e ta ils
P C U G O ffic e U s e O n ly
P ro c e s s e d b y A c c o u n ts :
S ig n a tu re :
A ll u sers jo in in g T h e In tern et P ro ject rece iv e a o n e-o ff,
fre e fiv e h o u r allo c atio n o f F u ll A cce ss.
/
/
1 0 . F o r existin g m e m b ers, p lease allo w u p to tw o w e eks fo r
yo u r ap p licatio n to b e p ro cessed .
1 1 . L o gin d etails ca n b e co llecte d - in p erso n b y th e
a p p lica n t - fro m th e P C U sers G ro u p C en tre. W e
reco m m e n d th a t yo u p h o n e th e C en tre first to ch eck th a t
th e d etails are w aitin g fo r yo u .
1 2 . Y o u (an d yo u r p aren t/gu ard ian if yo u are u n d er 1 8 years
o f a ge) w ill b e req u ired to sign a n A cc ep tab le U se P o lic y
D eclara tio n w h en yo u p ick u p yo u r lo gin d eta ils. P ro o f
o f id e n tifica tio n w ill b e req u ire d at th a t tim e .
Member Services
These special offers and services are only available to PCUG members.
Please bring your memberhip card with you when collecting orders.
Disks & Tapes
We offer high quality disks and tape cartridges
in various formats at very reasonable prices.
Disks & tapes are available from the PCUG
Centre Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10am to
2pm or between 9am and 5pm on weekends.
BBS Access
New members wishing to access the PC Users
Group (ACT) InterActive Bulletin Board
Service (BBS) should dial (02) 6253 4933 and
create an account on the system. Once the main
menu is presented, select the ‘Goodbye’ option
followed by the ‘Yes’ option to leave a message
to the Sysop.
In this message state your membership number
(from your card or magazine address label) and
request an access upgrade. This will usually
occur within a few days.
Shareware
Members have access to a huge selection of
‘shareware’ software. The PCUG subscribes
to a CD-ROM which provides over 250 Mb of
new and updated software titles on each
monthly CD.
one week). Please bring your membership card
with you.
One complete section of the permanent library
is also contained on each CD-ROM. In addition,
there are many programs on the PCUG BBS
which members have uploaded or which come
from other sources.
The library provides access to equipment which
members would not normally have readily
available. Most items have instructions manuals
and software where appropriate. Modems do
not include software; check the Shareware
Library for suitable packages. Items may be
borrowed for one week. There is no charge,
but you must collect and return the items
yourself.
This software is provided as ‘shareware’. If
you continue to use it, you must register the
software with the author. The Group does not
‘sell’ the software - it charges a fee to cover
the cost of obtaining the software, maintaining
the library and copying the software to the
member.
Computers are available at the Centre which
are connected to the BBS enabling members to
download software.
Hardware & Video Library
The hardware and video library is located at
the PC Users Group Centre. Items may be
collected and returned on Saturdays and
Sundays between 9am and 5pm (loans are for
Stuffed Again
We would like to thank
the following members and friends
for assisting with
the mailing out of our Journal.
John Agnew
Bruce Black
Owen Cook
Bill Curnow
Eddie, Sharon & Raymond de
Bear
Graham Dietrich
Tony Fitzpatrick
Jim & Chris Fogg
Rufus Garcia
Anne Greiner
Emil Joseph
Vernon Kronenberg
Allan Mikkelsen
Don Nicol
Graeme Taylor
Gordon Urquhart
Peter Watney
Sylvia & Lew Yardley
We are always looking for volunteers to
assist us with the ‘stuffing’ of our journal.
We start around 5.00pm (latecomers are
welcome) usually on the 2nd last
Monday of every month and are
generally finished by 8.00pm.
Refreshments are provided. If you would
like to help, please ring Petra Dwyer at
the PCUG Centre on 6253 4911.
Next Stuffing
5.00pm Monday 22 February ‘99
at Northpoint Plaza, Belconnen.
(see map page 3)
Equipment available includes:
•
•
modems (33.6k and 14.4k)
zip drives.
Videos include:
Developing Applications with Microsoft
Office
• Using Windows 95
•
We now have a
Giveaway Table at the
PCUG Centre.
If you have any SMALL
items of computer related
equipment (software or
hardware) that you no
longer need or use and
don’t want to throw
away, put them on the
table and someone else
may find a use for them.
Just bring them to the
Centre when it’s open and
we’ll pass them on
for you.
Matters covered may be someone’s hot stock,
or a tax problem or an interesting Web site,
and sometimes a software demo. We are
looking for volunteers to present brief reviews
of a favourite stock. Contact Mick Preskett
ph 6252 5036.
The OS/2 SIG
& Chat
The Coffee and Chat Group meet at the
PCUG Centre in Belconnen on alternate
Tuesdays from 10.30am to 11.30am The
doors are open from 9.30 to 12.00 for 30
minutes of individual discussion before and
after the meeting. The dates of these
meetings are shown in the Calendar of
Events.
An enthusiastic forum for those operating or
interested in OS/2 Warp. Meetings include
wide ranging discussion and interesting hands
on demonstrations. Meetings are held on the
third Thursday (except January) at 7.00pm
for 7.30pm at the IBM Building 8 Brisbane
Ave, Barton.
Contact David Thrum Phone 6201 8806 (bh).
Full details about the OS/2 SIG can be
obtained from http://www.pcug.org.au/
~aacton/os2/welcome.htm.
Flight Simulator
Meets 1.30 - 3.30 on Tuesday afternoons (if
room available) following Coffee and Chat
and on every 2nd Wed at 6.30 - 8.30 pm at
the PCUG Centre. Enquiries welcome.
Roger Lowery (02) 6258 1583
[email protected]
Internet Daytime Demo
and Discussion SIG
Meets every second Monday at the PCUG
Centre from 10.00am to noon. We meet to
discuss internet issues, software, sites (and
anything else of relevance), and demonstrate, on
Centre equipment, selected software and
techniques. The meeting starts with informal
discussion and coffee, followed by a more indepth look at a particular topic of interest. There
is also time for discussion (and hopefully solving)
of members problems with the internet. A home
page for the SIG is at http://www.pcug.org.au/
~amikkels/intddd.html Enquiries or suggestions
for topics are welcome at
[email protected].
The Delphi SIG
Bytes
The Bytes SIG is designed for those who like
to talk about computing over a meal. It meets
from 6 pm at the Asian Bistro, Australian
National University Union, on the PCUG
meeting nights. There are no Bytes SIG
meetings in November, December, or
January. Contact person: Andrew Freeman
Phone: 6258 7411 Email:
[email protected] or WWW at http:/
/www.pcug.org.au/~afreeman/cvsig.html
AutoCAD
Geoffrey May 6295 5942 Monday-Fri 4-5pm.
Please call for details.
C/C++
Peter Corcoran . [email protected] 2nd
Tuesday 7.30pm PCUG Centre
GUI Developers
Peter Harris 6287 1484
[email protected] Please call for details
The Investment SIG
The group meets at the PCUG Centre at
7.30pm on the fourth Thursday of every
month except for December to discuss
investment affairs, especially the stock
market and share ideas and information.
A lively forum for software developers who
are working with or interested in Delphi. Our
meetings include wide ranging discussion and
interesting hands-on demonstrations. Come
and see why Delphi is RAD! Some of our
recent meetings have discussed Delphi
components, best shareware tools, database
applications, and HTML tools. Meeting 3rd
Tuesday of each month 7.30pm at PCUG
Centre. Convenor David Gray email
[email protected] are welcome to
also subscribe to the PCUG Delphi mailing list
by sending message ‘subscribe [email protected] [your email address]’ to
[email protected]
Networks
Garry Thomson 6241 2399
[email protected] Thursday after
main meeting Please call for venue.
Computers and Vegetarianism
This SIG is designed for those who have an
interest in both computers and vegetarianism.
It generally meets with the Bytes SIG. No
meetings are held in November, December, or
January. Contact person: Andrew Freeman
Phone: 6258 7411 Email
[email protected] or WWW at http://
www.pcug.org.au/~afreeman/cvsig.html
Linux User Group
Stephen Rothwell 6231 6648 (ah) Stephen
[email protected] 4th Thursday
7.00pm Room N101 Computer Science Dept
ANU.
The VB SIG
Meets 10am to 12Noon on alternate Thursday
mornings (in the Coffee & Chat week) to
discuss the tips and tricks not disclosed in the
Help files. Enquiries welcome.
Don Nicol (02) 6254 6584
[email protected]
Please email any changes in contacts, venue
or information about SIG activities by the first
Friday in the month of publication to
[email protected].
Training News
by Peter Elliott
T
he PCUG is seeking members with
some experience ( either Win95,
MYOB or Internet software eg.
Netscape), that can help out the group by
training members on weekends. It’s voluntary
work of course, so if you’re (even slightly)
interested and would like to help, please call
peter on 62589806.
The program for 1999 has been adjusted
to meet the demand for particular courses
especially Windows95 and Internet courses.
PCUG Training is able to, and willing, to
conduct a variety of courses in other areas of
computing. If you have an interest in a
particular computer course and it is not
scheduled, contact Petra at the Centre at the
Centre and let us know
Our training courses are very popular.
Unfortunately, some people book and then do
not turn up for their course. Someone on the
waiting list for the course could have filled the
spot left vacant. If you have booked for a
course and are unable to attend please let Petra
know as early as possible so that another
member can attend.
Please note that the Centre will be closed
on the weekend of April3 - 4 due to the Easter
weekend and on Sunday 25 April, ANZAC
Day.
participate in news groups. If you would like to
attend the course, you will need Full Access
(Advanced Access) to the Internet. Please note
that Netscape Communicator 4.05 will be used
to teach this course. There will still be courses
conducted that are specifically designed for
members who use Netscape3, Eudora and
Agent to access the Internet.
Intro to designing your own web page: In
June there will be an intro to designing your own
web page conducted at the Centre. The course
will cover the basics in design and layout of a
web page and a how to use HTML.
The Win95 - Intro course is designed to
introduce members in the use of Win95 including
creating folders and files, how to cut, copy and
paste. The course also covers lots of tips and
tricks to make Win95 work for you. Please note
that if you have Win98 as an operating system,
then most if not all of the content of this course
will be applicable to Win98 users.
A Visual Basic Programming - Intro course
is planned for late April. This course is designed
for those members who are interested in the
popular programming language Visual BASIC.
Participants will be taught the basics of how to
prepare simple user -friendly form based
screens. No pre-requisite of programming is
required.
Courses
New Course
The Full Access intro to the Internet course is
an introduction to the programs used to access
the World Wide Web including how to
download files, send and receive e-mail and
We are introducing a new course which will
be taken by Gordon Urquhart. It is to be
restricted to Mature Adults who may need
slower paced assistance with training. Win 95,
Mar
Apr
Date
6
7
13
14
20
21
27
28
3
4
10
11
17
18
24
25
Day
Sat
Sun
Sat
Sun
Sat
Sun
Sat
Sun
Sat
Sun
Sat
Sun
Sat
Sun
Sat
Sun
Course
Sixteen Bits Layout Day/Internet Clinic
Excel 7 - Intermediate
CLOSED
CLOSED
Intro to the Internet – Full Access
Win95 - Intro (suitable for Win98 users)
MYOB
Designing your own web page - Intermediate
CLOSED
CLOSED
Desktop Publishing Intro / Internet clinic
Intro to the Internet - Full Access
Win95 – Intro (suitable for Win98 users)
Visual Basic - Intro
Intro to the Internet – Full Access
CLOSED
Word, Excel, Directories and other
housekeeping.
The time I envisage would be 10.30AM
to 1.00PM. Each course would be over 2
weeks to enable revision on the second day.
Standard course fee of $35 using the PUG
training manuals.
Contacts
COURSE BOOKINGS: Petra Dwyer, at the
PCUG Centre on 6253 4911
Training coordinator and course information
(not bookings):
Peter Elliott 6258 9806 (h) 7.00pm to
9.00pm
Microsoft Product courses (not bookings):
Henk Brummelaar 6258 9332 (h) 7.00pm to
9.00pm
All courses are held at the PCUG
Centre, Northpoint Plaza, Belconnen
- maximum 8 people.
Courses cost $35 unless otherwise
indicated. Full day courses run from
9.30am to approximately 3.00pm.
AM Courses commence at 9.30am.
PM courses commence at 1.30pm.
Length
Clinic:Morning
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Clinic:Morning
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Full Day
Vendor Discount Scheme
The following local vendors offer discounts to PCUG members
• Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchase
• Benefits may not apply to some sale items
• The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list, please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2.
BUSINESS
SERVICES/PRODUCTS
PHONE/FAX/EMAIL
ADDRESS
DISCOUNT
Accountants
Peng Lee BA, BEc(ANU), FCA
Chartered accountant
Registered tax agent
Holder of Certificate of Public
Practice
Accounting and taxation
services
A fee schedule published
1 year in advance will be
forwarded upon request
Ph: 6258 0156
Fax: 6258 0157
Mobile: 0419 625 801
6 McGuiness Place
McKellar ACT 2617
10% discount off
the published fee
schedule to PCUG
members
Lesley Piko
Certified practising
accountant, registered tax
agent
Personal and business
taxation services
General accounting
services
Ph: 6288 8888
Suite 1
17 Trenerry St
Weston ACT
15% discount off
quoted fee
Collins Booksellers
A wide selection of
computer titles for the
novice and also advanced
computer user
Ph: 6251 4813
Fax: 6251 3926
Belconnen Mall
10% discount off
computer book
purchases only
Daltons Books
No. 1 for computer and
business books
Ph: 6249 1844
Fax: 6247 5753
54 Marcus Clarke St
Canberra City
10% off RRP of
computer books
Ivan Kramer Web Design
Proven experience, quality
graphics, artistic talent.
Publish online @ a fracion
of the cost of print.
Ph: 6259 0500
Mobile: 0413 967 045
www.pcug.org.au/~ivan/
Canberra
ACT Valley Computer Repairs
Repairs, upgrades, new
systems, software
installation.
Low rates
Open 7 days
Ph: 6294 2592
Mobile: 019 323 435
$200 (66% off
normal price of
$600) for all
graphics, logo,
design, up to 15
pages
10% discount on
upgrades and
repairs
Books
Computer related
Amalgamated Business
Machines
Ph: 6280 4887
65 Kembla St
Fyshwick
5% discount on
repairs
Capital Simulations
Fax/message: 6258 0110
PO Box 329
Belconnen ACT 2616
Free postage and
handling (normally
$4) and 2 free
modem opponents
wanted notices
(normally $10)
Clarion Database Systems
Computer consulting
Business applications,
development
Software sales
The Cartridge Factory
Mobile: 041 108 7754
Ph.: 6239 5259
10% off RRP on
Microsoft and other
vendor products
and consulting
services
Canberra Business
Centre
49 Wentworth Ave
Kingston
10% discount on
remanufactured
laser toner
cartridges
10% discount on
inkjet refill kits
No discount
available on new
ink or toner
cartridges
• Present your PCUG membership card when making a purchase
• Benefits may not apply to some sale items
• The PCUG does not necessarily recommend or endorse the products being offered
If you offer a discount to PCUG members and are not in this list, please contact our advertising manager listed on page 2.
BUSINESS
Computer related (cont)
Bettowynd & Taltech
Solutions
Hi-Micro Computers
SERVICES/PRODUCTS
Prompt, gauranteed, fixed
price repairs to monitors
and terninals
L & S Associates
NCHSwift Sound
PE Computers & Software
Solutions
Robs Computer Help Desk
The Software Shop
Sproatley Computer Services
Pty Ltd
Michael Vetz/Mobile PC
Support
Kelehe Bisnis Sevis
World Wide Web Consultants
Canberra (W3C2)
Email to wav
Professional voice overs,
music and SFX for
multimedia, IVR, games,
software
New systems
Upgrades
Hardware and software
installation, setup and
home PC support
Software tuition including
Win95 and Internet
software
Telephone and on-site
help for all your computer
and support needs
Suppliers of all business,
educational and personal
software, plus selected
hardware.
Upgrades
New and used PCs
MYOB specialists
Software installation
24 hour help desk
Home PC support
available for all PC
problems including
upgrades and tuition at
your place all hours
ACT written software for
home & small business
from Total Office
Management.New release
of Automobile Workshop
Business Systems
Your key to the Internet.
Training, consulting and
web site services.
Other
ANU Union Asian Bistro
Green-Grass Mower Service
Aspect Computing Education
Services
Australian Management
Control
Lawn mower service,
spares and repairs
PHONE/FAX/EMAIL
ADDRESS
DISCOUNT
Ph: 6239 1043
Unit 5, Centrecoure
1 Pirie St, Fyshwick
5% discount
Ph: 6280 7520
Fax: 6280 7540
6/18 Whyalla St
Fyshwick
Ph: 6257 7555
69 Paterson St
Ainslie
5% discount on
accessories and
upgrade installation
Special price on any
Microsoft product:
dealer price plus 5%
25% discount to noncorporate members
Ph: 6281 6124
Ph/fax: 6258 9806
Mobile: 015 484 711
Email:
[email protected]
5% discount on all
new systems and
upgrades
20% discount on
installation, tuition
and home PC support
Ph: 6292 3211
(24 hours/7 days)
5% discount on
consulting services
Ph: 6285 4622
42 Townsend St
Phillip
Mobile: 0412 231 224
Fax: 6231 3605
5% discount off our
already low prices
10% discount on all
services
Ph: 6251 2184
Fax/Message:
62512184
[email protected]
P.O. Box 485
Belconnen ACT 2617
Discount of $25 per
hour maximum
charge $50
Ph: 02 6231 1813
[email protected]
P.O. Box 1187
Tuggeranong ACT
2901
5% for single copies,
higher discounts for
resellers
Ph: 02 6292 3211
Fax: 02 6292 3914
Mobile: 019 440 608
Email:
[email protected]
PO Box 5145
Chisholm 2905
5% to a maximum of
$100 on web site
services.
Upstairs, Union
Building, Union
Court, ANU (next to
main meeting venue)
8 Hutchinson St
Monash
86 Northbourne Ave
Braddon
Suite 4, 3236
Colbee Court, Phillip
Union member
discount on PCUG
main meeting nights
ONLY
10% discount
Ph: 6291 1458
Ph: 6247 7608
Ph: 6285 4888
10% discount
5% discount on
recordkeeping and
payroll courses
Members Ads
WANTED
FOR SALE
Microsoft Flight Simulator 98,
Ari Vennonen
6241 2532 (h).
[email protected]
[email protected]
$75
PCUG needs volunteers to join the
team of Centre Staffers to man the centre
on a regular rostered basis.
You would be supervising the front
desk, take telephone calls, refer queries
to the appropriate person, issue receipts
and generally be helpful. Full training is
provided.
The more people who volunteer the
less the load on those that do! At the
moment the roster rotates on roughly a
six week basis, if four more people
volunteer then you would only be
required to donate one day a weekend
every six weeks.
If you are interested and want to join
in the fun, phone or email Anton Jazvic
on 6265 6486 (w) 6259 2439 (h) or
PC Users Group Membership Application / Renewal
I would like to ( þ one or more)
Annual Fees Applicable (þ one)
o General1
o Concessional2
o Corporate3
o Additional Corporate4
o International (Air Mail)
$ 50
$ 25
$130
$ 50
$130
Notes
1 General membership covers all members of a household except for BBS and
Internet access.
2 Concessions apply to full time students and pensioners.
3 Corporate Membership covers up to three nominees.
4 Additional Corporate nominees may be added at $50 each.
o Become a new member for ____ year(s)
o Renew for ____ year(s)
o Change my address details
o Change Corporate nominees
o Take my address off advertising list
o Access the Bulletin Board (BBS)
Reasons for Joining þ (one or more)
o Sixteen Bits Magazine
o Training Courses
o The Internet Project
o Advice and help
Other ____________________________________
I am paying by (þ one)
o Cash (if paying by person) o Cheque to PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
o Credit card –– Bankcard, Mastercard or Visa
Title
Given Name
Surname
TOTAL PAYMENT DUE
$__________________
Please Post your application with payment to:
PC Users Group (ACT) Inc
PO Box 42 Belconnen ACT 2616
Additional Corporate Membership Nominees
Organisation (if applicable)
PCUG Membership Number (if applicable)
Postal Address
Phone (h)
Phone (w)
Credit Card Type / Number
Concession Type (if applicable)
Expiry Date
Signature
Title
Given Name
Surname
_______________________________________________________
Position (if applicable)
Phone (h)
Phone (w)
_______________________________________________________
Title
Given Name
Surname
_______________________________________________________
Position (if applicable)
Phone (h)
Phone (w)
The Help Directory
The people in this directory are volunteers so please observe the times given. The Help Directory is designed to help individual users and should
not be used as a substitute for corporate support calls to vendors! This service is provided for members only. Please quote your membership number
to the helper. For those helpers with an asterisk *, messages may be left on the BBS in either the General message area or as a Netmail message on
3:620/243. Send updates to [email protected] or via post to the PCUG Centre.
Subject
Name / Email
Phone
Days
Times
Access for Windows
Access 97
Graham Fry
Andrew Bartlett [email protected]
6288 3138
6254 0272
Assembly Language
Audio
Thomas McCoy
Peter van Runt
6294 2226
6288 5556
AutoCad
AutoCAD Rel 12, 13 and LT
BASIC + Machine Language
Bluewave
Batch Files, TSRs, Utilities
Bulletin Board Service
C/C++
Geoffrey May *
Neil Moffat
George McLintock
Jorge Garcia
Bill Ghysen
Michael Phillips *
Nhan Tran ntran@pcug org.au
6295 5942
6292 7108
6295 6590
6282 2681
6287 1234
6253 4966
6254 5293
7.30pm - 8.30pm
4.00pm - 9.00pm
10.00am - 9.00pm
8.00pm - 10.00pm
All day
12noon - 8pm
4.00pm - 5.00pm
Noon - 10.00pm
8.30pm -10.00pm
7.00pm - 9.00pm
8.00pm - 10.00pm
7.30pm - 8.30pm
7.00pm – 9.00pm
Chinese Star for Windows
Eudora
Peng Lee
6258 0156
6254 5293
Excel
Flight Simulation
Free Agent / Agent Newsreading
GEOS/GeoWorks
Hardware
HDK
HDK
Hypertext Markup Language
Graheme Fry
Roger Lowery [email protected]
Allan Mikkelsen
Phil Jones
Anthony Glenn
Lis Shelley [email protected]
Ivana Leonard
Peter Tilbrook [email protected]
6288 3138
6258 1583
6278 3164
6288 5288
6288 8332
All days
M-F (ex Tue)
Weekends
Mon - Fri
Mon - Fri
Weekends
Mon - Fri
All days
All days
All Days
Mon - Fri
All days
All except
w/end & Tue
All days
All except
w/end & Tue
All days
All days
All days
All days
All days
Mon - Thu
Weekdays
Internet Connection
7.00pm - 9.00pm
10.00am - 6.00pm
6253 8153 (ah)
7.00pm - 9.00pm
Internet Explorer (Microsoft)
ISR CADDSMAN Modeller (W in)
Microstation Cad
Midi
Neil Moffat
Andrew Novinc
Peter van Runt
Microsoft Front Page
Modem Communications
Noteworthy Composer
Online doc using Help Compiler (W in3)
OS/2
OS/2
OS/2
Scream Tracker 3 (3SM) / MOD Music
Small Business Computing
Telix
SCO Unix & Xenix
Unix
Unix/Linux/*BSD
Turbo Pascal
Visual Basic for W indows
W indows 95
W indows 95 and 98
W ord for W indows
W ordPerfect 5.1 DOS, 6.1 W in
W ordStar
Michael Phillips *
Andrew Purdam [email protected]
John Carroll [email protected]
Andrew Acton [email protected]
Dave Thrum [email protected]
Michael Lightfoot *
Chris Collins
Nick Thomson
Michael Phillips *
Jeremy Bishop
Michael Lightfoot *
Jonathon Ross
Michael Phillips *
Cedric Bear [email protected]
Graeme Challinor [email protected]
Chess Krawczyk [email protected]
Lis Shelley [email protected]
Gayle Scott [email protected]
Dave Hay
6231 4169
6242 4000
0411 508 169
6254 5293
6242 4000
0411 508 169
6292 7108
6258 1907
6288 5556
All except
w/end & Tue
Weekdays
1.00pm - 9.00pm
7.00pm - 9.00pm
7.30pm - 8.30pm
Anytime
Noon - 9.00pm
6.00pm - 10.00pm
Anytime
6242 4000
0411 508 169
6281 1980 or
6230 2231
6248 0781
6293 1684
6201 8806
6258 8185
6258 8276
6241 3239
6281 1980
6291 0478
6258 8185
6288 1428
6281 1980
6258 3169
6236 8166
6247 1218
All days
All days
All days
All days
Mon-Fri
All days
Mon - Fri
Mon - Thu
All days
All days
All days
All days
All days
All days
All days
All days
10.00am - 6.00pm
6253 8153 (ah)
Noon - 10.00pm
6.00pm - 10.00pm
All day
12noon - 8pm
10.00am - 6.00pm
6253 8153 (ah)
7.30pm - 8.30pm
Anytime
7.30pm - 10.00pm
9am-9pm
8am-6pm
7.30pm - 9.30pm
7.30pm - 9.00pm
7.30pm - 9.30pm
7.30pm - 8.30pm
7.00pm - 9.00pm
7.30pm - 9.30pm
6.00pm - 10.00pm
7.30pm - 8.30pm
7.30pm - 8.30pm
10.00am - 4.00pm
7.00pm - 9.30pm
6254 1579
6258 7310
All days
All days
7.30pm - 9.30pm
7.00pm - 9.00pm
All days
All days
Mon - Fri
Weekends
Weekdays
March
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Flight Simulator
PCUG Centre
6.30pm–8.30pm
Internet Daytime Demo and
Discussion SIG
Saturday
TRAINING DAY
Internet Clinic
PCUG
Centre
9.30–
1.00pm
Sixteen Bits
commercial ad
deadline for
April
PCUG Centre
10.00am–2.00pm
Sunday
PCUG Centre
9.30am
Excel 7 –
Intermediate
Layout Day for
Sixteen Bits
10.00am
New Members’
Night
PCUG Centre
7.30pm
1
2
Committee
Meeting
PCUG Centre
Coffee and Chat
PCUG Centre
9.30am–12.00
7.30pm
Flight Simulator
PCUG Centre
1.30pm–3.30pm
3
4
5
Visual Basic
SIG
10.00am–
12noon
PCUG Centre
6
CENTRE
CLOSED
7
CENTRE
CLOSED
C /C++ SIG
PCUG Centre
7.30pm
8
9
CENTRE
CLOSED
10
Flight Simulator
PCUG Centre
6.30pm–8.30pm
Delphi SIG
PCUG Centre
7.30pm
11
12
OS/2 SIG
IBM Building
8 Brisbane Ave
Barton
13
14
TRAINING DAY TRAINING DAY
PCUG Centre PCUG Centre
9.30am
Internet Intro – 9.30am
Full Access (ideal Introduction to
for members with Windows 95
7.00 for 7.30pm
some experience)
15
16 Bits Stuffing
and Mailing
PCUG Centre
5.00pm
16
17
Flight Simulator
PCUG Centre
1.30pm–3.30pm
22
23
19
Sixteen Bits
article deadline
for May
Linux Users Group
Room N101
Computer Science
Dept ANU
7.30pm
Coffee and Chat
PCUG Centre
9.30am–
12.00
Internet Day-time
Demo and Discussion
SIG
PCUG Centre
10.00am–2.00pm
18
Visual Basic SIG
10.00am–12noon
PCUG Centre
20
21
TRAINING DAY TRAINING DAY
PCUG Centre
PCUG Centre
9.30am
9.30am
Designing your MYOB
own web page –
Intermediate
Investment SIG
PCUG Centre
7.30pm
24
25
Flight Simulator Networks SIG
PCUG Centre
(Call 6241 2399
6.30pm–8.30pm for venue)
26
Sixteen Bits
commercial ad
deadline for
May
27
Internet Clinic
PCUG
Centre
9.30–
1.00pm
28
TRAINING DAY
PCUG Centre
9.30am
Main Meeting
Layout Day for
Sixteen Bits
10.00am
Manning Clark
Theatre 1
Crisp Bldg. ANU
7.00 for 7.30
Bytes SIG
Asian Bistro ANU
6.00pm (before
PCUG meeting)
29
30
31
1 April
2 April
3 April
4 April

This month in - PC Users Group

Transcription

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